While Gerda Steyn racked up an impressive fifth victory, former track specialist George Kusche stole the show on Sunday, beating a powerful elite field to win his ‘up’ run debut at the 99th edition of the Comrades Marathon between Durban and Pietermaritzburg.
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After chasing down runaway leader Mbuti Mollo in the second half of the 85.77km ultra-marathon, Kusche coasted clear to triumph in 5:15:56, slicing nearly nine minutes off the 18-year-old course record of 5:24:49 which had been held by Russian athlete Leonid Shvetsov.
The 27-year-old data analyst from Pretoria, who specialised as a 1,500m runner on the collegiate circuit while studying in the United States after leaving high school, switched to road running a few years ago.
Last year he finished 12th on the Comrades ‘down’ run, and he signalled his intent earlier this season when he won the 42km Peninsula Marathon in tough conditions in Cape Town.
Record performance
And after displaying his potential, Kusche lived up to the hype as a contender, stunning a quality field at the country’s oldest road running race.
Defending ‘up’ run champion Piet Wiersma of the Netherlands came through strongly in the closing stages to take second place in 5:19:36, and Mollo did well to hold on for third in 5:21:31 despite slowing to a walk and looking at one point like he was going to stop. The top five men all broke the previous record.
“There isn’t a race like Comrades in the world. This race is so culturally significant to South Africans… and in my opinion it is the crown of running in South Africa,” Kusche said afterwards.
“There was no doubt in my mind when I started running on the road that it would eventually lead to Comrades.”
Gerda Steyn shines again
Steyn, meanwhile, said she had already switched her focus to next year’s 100th edition of the annual race after becoming only the seventh athlete (and second woman) to win five Comrades titles.
The ‘Smiling Assassin’ completed the race in 5:44:43, shattering her own ‘up’ run record of 5:49:46 as she continued to break new ground.
Zimbabwean athlete Nobukhosi Tshuma, who put up a fight until midway through the second half, before gritting her teeth in the latter stages, was second in 5:53:36. And Olympic marathon runner Irvette van Zyl ended third in 6:02:30.
“I will be looking for even more ways to improve myself to be ready for the 100th race,” Steyn said.
“It’s a big item on my calendar. Everything from now until next year’s ‘down’ run will be focused on that.”