In a dramatic day of record-breaking running, line honours in the 2026 Comrades Marathon were claimed by South Africans George Kusche and Gerda Steyn on Sunday, 14 June. With the route being 85.777km long, which was 133 metres shorter than in 2024 and the shortest route distance in recorded history for the Up Run, this year’s race was expected to deliver fast times, perhaps even records, and it duly delivered.

Both winners crossed the line in new race records, writing their names into the history books and claiming huge paydays for themselves in the 99th edition of The Ultimate Human Race, and 50th edition of the Up Run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg.

Kusche won the men’s race in 5:15:56, shattering the previous Up Run Record of 5:24:49, which was run in 2008 by Russian Leonid Shvetsov and had stood for 18 years. The 2026 winner also managed an average pace of 3:40.99 per kilometre, meaning that he broke the Best Average Time of 3:43.75/km set by Vladimir Kotov in 2000. Second over the line was Dutchman Piet Wiersma, the 2024 winner and defending champion in the Up Run, who finished in 5:19:36, while SA’s Mbuti Mollo was third man home in 5:21:31. Alex Milne (Great Britain) was fourth in 5:22:29, with Japan’s Haruki Okayama fifth in 5:24:46, both also dipping under the previous Up Run best time.

In the women’s race, Steyn cruised to her third Up Run victory and fifth Comrades Marathon title overall, with an impressive time of 5:44:53. This was well inside her own race record for the women’s Up Run of 5:49:46, which she set by in 2024. Like Kusche, Steyn also set a new Best Average Pace for the Up Run, with 4:01.24 per kilometre to beat the previous best of 4:04.28/km that she set in 2024. Second over the line was Zimbabwean Nobukhosi Tshuma, who finished in 5:53:36, while third place went to SA’s Irvette van Zyl in 6:02:30. Fourth was Kenyan Shelmith Muruiki (6:06:38), with Great Britain’s Naomi Robinson fifth in 6:07:55.

Kusche and Steyn’s record-breaking performances mean that both walk away with over R2-million in prize money and incentive bonuses. This includes the first-place prize money, including Cell C Top-up, of R925,000, as well as the R242,000 prize for being the first South African man and woman over the line. They also both earned a R605,000 incentive bonus for breaking the best time previously recorded for the Up Run, as well as claiming the Cell C Average Pace incentive bonus of R550,000. That took their individual winnings to R2,322,000 each.

The Men's Race: Kusche Delivers
Having finished 12th in his debut Comrades Marathon last year, Kusche came into the 2026 race in fine form, which saw him touted a potential gold medallist this year, perhaps even a podium finisher. Some pundits went further and picked Kusche as a potential winner… and when he passed long-time leader Mbuti Mollo with just over 10km to go, it was all over – even if Kusche didn’t realise it.

“I honestly didn't believe I was going to win until I crossed the finish line. Comrades is extremely hard mentally, and there was no way I could know that they were not going to catch me, so I pushed as hard as I could and hoped that nobody would pass me. Only when I crossed the finish line did I realise that nobody would,” says Kusche.

Mollo held the lead from around halfway, at one stage opening a considerable lead on the chasing bunch, but when he was forced to walk for the first time around 68km, it looked like his chances of taking the win were slipping away. That was confirmed when Kusche swept into the lead with about 10km to go, having broken away from the chasing pack, and he maintained that pace all the way to the end.

“Comrades is a nerve-wrecking experience. This past week it was very hard to think about anything except the Comrades, and I'm very grateful that everything worked out as planned. Comrades is a very tough race, so you can't take it for granted. It’s a bit of a gamble by going out early, but luckily it paid off this time around,” he adds.

The Women's Race: Steyn Dominates
Steyn once again demonstrated her superiority in women’s ultra-distance running in South Africa, not only breaking the Up Run record for the third time, but also taking her tally of wins to three Up Runs to go with two Down runs. She becomes just second woman to win the Comrades Marathon five times – the other is Elena Nurgalieva (8 wins) – and this puts Steyn on level with Comrades legends such as Arthur Newton, Hardy Ballington and Wally Hayward.

“It's an honour to come away with the another Comrades marathon win and a new Course Record. It’s what I have been dreaming of and working for since the start of the year, and it was amazing day on the route,” says Steyn. “I know I said in the pre-race press conference that I'm going to run this Comrades as if it is my last race, and that is what I did. But after crossing the finish line, I already know it was far not my last Comrades. I actually can't imagine my life without this race, and I’m now really looking forward to the 2027 centenary race.”

Meanwhile, Tshuma acknowledged the sacrifices she made in order to claim a podium position in the Comrades Marathon short on the heels of finishing third at the 2026 Totalsports Two Oceans Ultra Marathon in Cape Town this past April. “I went through a lot to get to this point, leaving my kids behind to go train in Kenya, and even spending two nights in the airport, sleeping on the chairs. I'm just so happy with my second place!”

Overwhelming Positive Feedback
Reflecting on a successful 99th edition of the race, Comrades Marathon Association General Manager Alain Dalais says, “We are incredibly proud of the 2026 race, and our two record-breaking winners. George Kusche lived up to the pre-race expectation by shattering the men’s Up Run Record by nearly nine minutes, and Gerda Steyn joined some of the most illustrious legends of this great race with five wins. It was a fantastic elite race, with record-breaking performances, and a truly fitting spectacle for the 50th edition of the Up Run.”

“Furthermore, we treated this race as a final dress rehearsal for the 2027 Centenary edition of the race, and our incredible team of Comrades Marathon volunteers, staff, sponsors, partners and service providers all contributed to what many participants have told us was one of their best Comrades Marathon experiences. We congratulate the winners and other gold medallists, as well as the rest of the 18,523 finishers of the 2026 race, including all the novices tackling their first Comrades Marathon and those earning their Back-to-Back medals, to the Yellow Number Runners completing their 10th and earning their Green Numbers, and to the final finishers in the last hour. Now we look forward to the 2027 Down Run, and one of the biggest running celebrations yet!”