COMRADES MARATHON: Gerda Steyn and Piet Wiersma triumphant at Comrades Marathon

For Steyn, it was her third consecutive Comrades Marathon win, as she broke the Up Run record she set in 2022, while for Wiersma it was a debut win as he put aside the memory of his second-place finish in 2023 to cross the line first.

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Speaking after the race Wiersma, who is an amateur runner hoping to turn professional reflected on the winner’s cheque of R825 000: “This is going to change everything for me,” Wiersma said.

“I still don’t have sponsors, but I knew I was in the best shape of my life, and I really wanted to win this race.”

Steyn, who pocketed more than R2 million with her winner’s cheque and bonus payments for various records achieved on the day said: “This is the best day of my life.

“It was a blessing to be here, and I just want to thank everyone who has played a part, supported me and helped me to get here.”

Top 10 finishers list:

Men:

1 Piet Wiersma (NED) 5:25:00
2 Dan Matshailwe (RSA) 5:25:45
3 Degefa Lafebo (ETH) 5:27:48
4 Joseph Manyedi (RSA) 5:28:33
5 Andrew Davies (GBR) 5:30:46
6 Bongmusa Mthembu (RSA) 5:34:45
7 Elov Olsson (SUI) 5:35:24
8 Teboho Sello (LES) 5:36:11
9 Alex Milne (GBR) 5:36:51
10 Givemore Madzinganyama (ZIM) 5:37:09

Women:

1 Gerda Steyn (RSA) 5:49:46
2 Alexandra Morozova (RUS) 6:05:12
3 Courtney Olsen (USA) 6:08:09
4 Carla Molinaro (RSA) 6:12:01
5 Nobukhosi Tshuma (ZIM) 6:12:18
6 Antonina Iushina (RUS) 6:12:28
7 Caitriona Jennings (IRE) 6:13:00
8 Jenet Mbhele (RSA) 6:16:54
9 Dominika Stelmach (POL) 6:19:24
10 Yulia Ryzhankova (RUS) 6:28:22