DURBAN — Gerda Steyn sealed her fifth Comrades Marathon women’s title on Sunday with a record-breaking performance in the 2026 Up Run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg.
Steyn crossed the finish line in an unofficial time of 5:44:53, setting a new Up Run record and extending her dominance to five career victories. She controlled the race from the halfway mark and broke away in the final 20 kilometres to secure another decisive win.
Nobukhosi Tshuma finished second in 5:53:36, while Irvette van Zyl took third in 6:02:30, completing the podium behind Steyn in a tightly contested chase for the remaining places.
Comrades Marathon 2026 women’s race results and podium finish
Comrades Marathon 2026 women’s race results and podium finish
Steyn reinforced her long-standing dominance in the women’s field and extended her unbeaten streak in the event since 2019, with only race cancellations and distance changes interrupting her winning run.
The performance also delivered a monumental financial return under the Comrades Marathon 2026 prize money structure.
By crushing the finish time, pace targets, and finishing as the top domestic runner, Steyn secured a spectacular R2,322,000 payday directly from the race organizers.
Her official earnings break down into the R925,000 winner’s purse; a R242,000 South African citizen bonus, a R605,000 Up Run course record bonus, and an additional R550,000 average pace bonus for breaking her own previous benchmark of 4:04.28/km.
In the men’s race, George Kusche claimed victory in a separate record-breaking performance that delivered an estimated R2.67 million payday.
Read full breakdown of George Kusche’s Comrades Marathon earnings and prize money.
Comrades Marathon 2026 full podium results
Women
- Gerda Steyn
- Nobukhosi Tshuma
- Irvette van Zyl
Men
- George Kusche
- Piet Wiersma
- Mbuti Mollo
Must watch: Samuel Cijimpi Moloi set the early pace in the men’s race before heartbreakingly dropping out around the halfway mark, opening the door for Mbuti Mollo to briefly move into an unexpected lead.
The 2026 Comrades Marathon produced record-breaking performances in both elite races, with the Up Run course delivering one of the fastest combined elite finishes in recent history.
Related coverage
- Comrades Marathon 2026 road closures, N3 traffic hotspots and travel advisory
- Comrades Marathon Official Website – race information and route updates
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