Can you believe it?

Gerda Steyn has just broke her own Comrades Marathon record time by nearly 10 minutes on Sunday morning. 

85,91km tested the absolute limit of human endurance. However, For Gerda, it was easy-peasy as she successfully defended her tittle in a record-breaking time of 5:49:46.

In the men’s side, we saw a Flying Dutchman, Piet Wiersma clinch a decisive victory. The victory is attributed to a rigorous  six-week training camp in Kenya where he did so many hill workouts training in disciplined, Spartan conditions in his preparation for the notorious Polly Shorts climb just before Pietermaritzburg.

Wiersma crossed the finish line in a time of 5:25:00.  He fell short of Leonid Shvetsov's record of 5:24:39 set back in 2008.

UCT Athletics Club Participation!?

It is so sad, that our athletes receive zero support from the university when attending major championships. The Comrades Marathon is an ultramarathon event that tests the limit of each individual athlete.

When you enter, you need proper shoes for the distance and appropriate supplements for hydration which can come at a hefty price.

You also need to arrange travelling and accommodation, a huge expense and hurdle for most of our student athletes.

In 2025, we will attend in our numbers, and we expect the university to do better in providing support for our athletes.