South African running stars Gerda Steyn and George Kusche delivered record-breaking performances to claim victory in the 2026 Comrades Marathon on Sunday, dominating the iconic “up” run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg.
In the women’s race, Steyn secured her fifth Comrades Marathon title and fourth consecutive victory, crossing the finish line in a new up-run record time of 5:44:53. The achievement further cemented her status as one of the greatest athletes in the history of the Ultimate Human Race.
Steyn remained locked in a battle with Nobukhosi Tshuma for much of the race before pulling away shortly after the four-hour mark. Tshuma finished second in 5:53:36, while Irvette van Zyl completed the podium in third place with a time of 6:02:30.
The record-breaking win earned Steyn a total prize purse of R2.322 million, including rewards for first place, being the leading South African, setting a new race record, and achieving the fastest average pace record.
The women’s top 10 finishers included Shelmith Muruiki (4th), Naomi Robinson (5th), Loveness Madziva (6th), Courtney Olsen (7th), Dikiledi Majara (8th), Jenet Mbhele (9th), and Carla Molinaro (10th).
In the men’s race, South Africa’s George Kusche produced a breakthrough performance to capture his first Comrades Marathon title in a record time of 5:15:56. Representing Nedbank Running Club, Kusche executed a calculated race strategy before taking the lead in the closing stages and pulling clear of his rivals.
Defending champion Piet Wiersma of the Netherlands finished second in 5:19:36, while South Africa’s Mbuti Mollo claimed third place in 5:21:31. Mollo led the race at the halfway point but faded after the 68km mark as the pace intensified.
The 2026 Comrades Marathon will be remembered for exceptional performances from both Kusche and Steyn, who etched their names into the event’s record books with historic victories.