Bongmusa Mthembu
South Africa’s Comrades Marathon
The latest edition of the world's greatest ultra-marathon takes place on Sunday.
Catch up on the history - along with some fascinating facts and anecdotes - of a
race that's internationally recognised for the body-sapping challenge it poses and the
camaraderie it fosters among its thousands of participants.
Comrades Marathon wants ‘everyone involved’ in 90th edition
The marketing campaign for the 90th Comrades Marathon, the world's biggest and
oldest ultra-marathon, was launched in Johannesburg on Thursday under the slogan
"Be Part of It - Bamba Iqhaza", as the event pushes to become "the most inclusive
sporting event in South Africa".
South Africa is world’s endurance race capital
Some of the world's most extreme races are held in South Africa, where elite athletes – and ordinary people – pit themselves against the unforgiving elements and huge distances. Perhaps the most well-known is the Comrades Marathon, a gruelling 90km run between Durban and Pietermaritzburg.
First-time winners shake up Comrades Marathon
South African Bongmusa Mthembu claimed his first Comrades Marathon victory on
Sunday, while Great Britain's Eleanor Greenwood was also a first-time winner in the
women's race after a dramatic conclusion to the 89.28-kilometre ultra-marathon.
South African 1-2 in Comrades 2012
South Africa's Ludwick Mamabolo was a first-time winner of the men's title in the 89-kilometre Comrades ultra-marathon on Sunday - with Bongmusa Mthembu making it a South African one-two - while Russia's Elena Nurgalieva notched up a record seventh women's win.
Zimbabwean’s second Comrades win
Zimbabwe's Stephen Muzhingi won the Comrades Marathon for the second time running as a huge field contested the 85th edition of South Africa's famous ultra-marathon on Sunday. Victory in the women's race went to Elena Nurgalieva for a fifth time.