Two South African athletes just rewrote the history books at one of the most grueling races on the planet.
At the 2026 Comrades Marathon — the world’s oldest and largest ultramarathon — George Kusche and Gerda Steyn didn’t just win their respective races, they shattered course records that had stood for years.
For Kusche, it was a stunning redemption story after a 12th-place debut just one year prior.
For Steyn, it was the crowning of a dynasty — and the question now is whether anyone can ever stop her.
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A Race Steeped in History — And Running Into Legend
The 2026 edition of the Comrades Marathon, the 99th running of the iconic event, launched at 5 a.m. on Sunday, June 14, as over 21,000 runners surged beneath the start arch to the stirring notes of “Chariots of Fire.”
The race was founded in 1921 by World War I veteran Vic Clapham to honor fallen South African soldiers. Its motto, “Ska Fela Moya,” translates to “Never Lose Hope” — a phrase that felt especially fitting on this particular day.
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The course stretches 86 kilometers (53 miles) between Durban on the Indian Ocean coast and Pietermaritzburg, climbing roughly 1,750 meters through five punishing hills. This year’s Up Run direction made the challenge even more brutal, saving its steepest climb — Polly Shortts — for the final 10 kilometers.
Kusche’s Comeback: From 12th Place to Record-Shattering Champion
George Kusche’s 2026 performance was nothing short of extraordinary. After finishing 12th on his Comrades debut in 2025, the South African arrived this year with something to prove — and he delivered in emphatic fashion.
Patience was his weapon. Kusche sat quietly within a large chasing pack through the first half of the race, watching early front-runners burn themselves out on the relentless climbs.
His moment came on the ascent up Inchanga, where he broke free from the pack and began his calculated charge toward the front. By the 57-kilometer mark, he was in second place, sitting 4:25 behind leader Mbuti Mollo.
That gap evaporated fast. Mollo began to visibly struggle, weaving dangerously along the road as the relentless course took its toll. With fewer than 10 kilometers remaining, Kusche powered past him on the Polly Shortts climb and simply never looked back.
His finishing time of 5:15:56 didn’t just win the race — it obliterated the previous Up Run record of 5:24:49, a mark that had belonged to Russia’s Leonid Shvetsov since 2008.
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That’s nearly nine minutes sliced off an 18-year-old record. In ultramarathon terms, that’s seismic.
The depth of this year’s field underscores just how special the performance was. Piet Wiersma of the Netherlands — the defending Up Run champion — finished second in 5:19:36 after a courageous late charge, overtaking a fading Mollo in the final two kilometers. Mollo held on bravely for third in 5:21:31, while Alex Milne of the U.K. and Japan’s Haruki Okayama rounded out a stunning top five — all finishing under the previous course record.
Men’s Top 10 Results
- George Kusche (South Africa) – 5:15:56 (New Course Record)
- Piet Wiersma (The Netherlands) – 5:19:36
- Mbuti Mollo (South Africa) – 5:21:31
- Alex Milne (U.K.) – 5:22:29
- Haruki Okayama (Japan) – 5:24:46
- Charlie Lawrence (U.S.) – 5:27:08
- Lloyd Bosman (South Africa) – 5:28:53
- Nikolai Volkov (Russia) – 5:28:59
- Vasilii Korytkin (Russia) – 5:29:29
- Tebogo Pulusa (South Africa) – 5:29:40
Gerda Steyn Is in a League of Her Own
If Kusche’s victory was a redemption arc, Gerda Steyn’s fifth Comrades title is something closer to dominance that borders on the surreal.
The South African — who now calls the United Arab Emirates home — claimed her fourth consecutive victory, crossing the finish line in 5:44:53. Along the way, she broke her own Up Run course record of 5:49:46, which she had set just two years prior.
Steyn’s race was a masterclass in discipline. She ran in a tight lead trio alongside Kenya’s Shelmith Muriuki and Zimbabwe’s Nobukhosi Tshuma through the first half, biding her time with clinical precision.
The move came just before the final climb. Steyn surged, dropped Tshuma, and proceeded to put over six minutes between herself and second place by the 79-kilometer mark. By the finish, that gap had stretched to eight minutes — a statement that left no room for debate.
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Tshuma fought through the pain of the closing miles to finish a strong second in 5:53:36, a massive leap from her fifth-place result in 2024. South Africa’s Irvette van Zyl claimed third in 6:02:30, having moved past a tiring Muriuki around the 70-kilometer mark.
Muriuki — who had run near the front for over 62 kilometers — ultimately finished fourth in 6:06:38. Naomi Robinson of the U.K. rounded out the top five in 6:07:55.
Women’s Top 10 Results
- Gerda Steyn (South Africa) – 5:44:53 (New Course Record)
- Nobukhosi Tshuma (Zimbabwe) – 5:53:36
- Irvette van Zyl (South Africa) – 6:02:30
- Shelmith Muriuki (Kenya) – 6:06:38
- Naomi Robinson (U.K.) – 6:07:55
- Loveness Madziva (Zimbabwe) – 6:09:54
- Courtney Olsen (U.S.) – 6:11:20
- Dikeledi Majara (Lesotho) – 6:12:29
- Jenet Mbhele (South Africa) – 6:14:04
- Carla Molinaro (U.K.) – 6:14:04
A Day That Will Be Remembered for Decades
With the 100th edition of the Comrades Marathon on the horizon, Sunday’s performances have raised the bar to extraordinary new heights.
Two course records. Two South African champions. And a field so deep that the top five men all finished faster than the previous record had ever been run.
The motto of this ancient race — Never Lose Hope — took on fresh meaning as Kusche surged from obscurity to legend, and Steyn cemented her place among the greatest ultramarathon runners the sport has ever seen.
The centenary race can’t come soon enough.
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
