With the highly-anticipated 97th edition of the Comrades Marathon set to take place this Sunday, Hollywoodbets Sports looks at 10 of the top contenders for this year’s Up Run race setting off in Durban before concluding in Pietermaritzburg.
Men
Tete Dijana
Having recorded impressive back-to-back victories in 2022 and 2023, it’s understandable all eyes will again be on Dijana as he pushes for a third successive win in the Comrades Marathon.
Last year, Dijana took it a notch up when he set a new Down Run record of 5:13:58 in 2023.
This will be the second time Dijana tackles the Up Run after his first attempt in 2019 saw the Nedbank Running Club athlete finish 50th.
Edward Mothibi
Mothibi will head into Sunday’s Up Run as the defending champion having been the last runner to win it back in 2019. This will be the first time the Up Run is set to be staged since then.
One can’t rule Mothibi out from reclaiming his title after displaying excellent consistency in the race.
Mothibi has managed to impressively finish on the podium in 2022 and 2023.
Piet Wiersma
After impressing as an unknown runner in last year’s Comrades Marathon, the Netherlands-born runner is tipped as a heavy favourite for top honours on Sunday.
Wiersma finished three seconds behind record-breaking Dijana last year and also broke the previous record as he crossed the line in a time of 5:14:01.
Bongumusa Mthembu
Mthembu may have last won his third Comrades title in 2018, but he remains one of the most dangerous runners. He has one Up Run victory and two Down Run titles.
Nkosikhona Mhlakwana
Mhlakwana missed out on the top 10 finish in the last Up Run in 2019 after he fell to the ground a few metres from the finish line.
The Hollywoodbets Athletic Club runner ended up settling for the 11th spot. Mhlakwana heads to Sunday in good form, having done well in other races he took part in as part of the Comrades Marathon build-up.
Women
Gerda Steyn
Gerda Steyn is a record holder for both Up Run and Down Run. In 2019, during the last Up Run, Steyn became the first woman to finish the course in under six hours.
It will prove a difficult task for the other ladies to beat her on Sunday.
Adele Broodryk
After finishing third in 2022 and second in last year’s race, Broodryk’s main aim this year will be to push for the top honours.
In the 2023 edition, she also broke the six-hour barrier as she crossed the finish line at 5:56:25.
Alexandra Morozova
The Russian athlete is one of the strongest Comrades Marathon runners, with five gold medals from five races.
Morozova, who won the race in 2022, has missed the Comrades podium only once and that was last year when she finished sixth.
She struggled with an injury, but this year, her preparation for the race has gone according to the plan and will be a strong competitor.
Carla Molinaro
Since finishing last year’s Comrades Marathon in third place, Molinaro has seen her running form improving.
The Hollywood Athletics Club runner went on to be crowned World Champion over 50km and will be one of the athletes to watch out for on Sunday.
Deanne Laubscher
Laubscher recently represented South Africa in both the World 50km and 100km Championship. She will be eager to do well in the Comrades Marathon and get her first gold medal.
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