Gerda Steyn Comrades Marathon

After a two-year Coronavirus-forced hiatus, the 95th Comrades Marathon will take place on Sunday, 28 August 2022. Photo: Comrades Marathon/Twitter

Comrades Marathon: Winners and record-holders of the ultimate human race

Few road races have been able to capture the hearts and minds of the public in the way the Comrades marathon has done.

Gerda Steyn Comrades Marathon

After a two-year Coronavirus-forced hiatus, the 95th Comrades Marathon will take place on Sunday, 28 August 2022. Photo: Comrades Marathon/Twitter

The 95th running of the Comrades Marathon takes place on Sunday 28 August 2022 between Pietermaritzburg and Durban.

Gerda Steyn has been tipped to break Frith van der Merwe’s longstanding down run record in 2022.

Comrades Marathon fastest times

Men

Up Run – Leonid Shvetsov 5.24.39 2008
Down Run – David Gatebe 5.18.19 2016

Women

Up Run – Gerda Steyn 5:58:53 2019
Down Run – Frith van der Merwe 5.54.43 1989

Most wins

Men

Bruce Fordyce – 9

Women

Elena Nurgalieva – 8

Comrades Marathon
The 95th running of the Comrades Marathon takes place on Sunday 28 August 2022 between Pietermaritzburg and Durban. Photo: RAJESH JANTILAL/AFP

Comrades Marathon winners

Comrades Marathon winners
Yearu/dTime (Men)Men’s ChampionClubTime (Women)Women’s ChampionClub
cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to coronavirus pandemic[12][29]
2019u5:31:33 Edward MothibiNedbank RC GN5:58:53 Gerda SteynNedbank RC JHB
2018d5:26:34 Bongmusa Mthembu3Arthur Ford AC6:10:03 Ann AshworthMassmart AC CG
2017u5:35:34 Bongmusa Mthembu2Arthur Ford AC6:27:35 Camille HerronNedbank RC International
2016d5:18:19 David GatebeTomTom AC6:25:55 Charne BosmanNedbank RC CG
2015u5:38:36 Gift KeleheSamancor Chrome MC6:12:22 Caroline WöstmannNedbank RC
2014d5:28:29 Bongmusa MthembuNedbank RC KZN6:18:12 Eleanor GreenwoodNedbank International
2013u5:32:09 Claude MoshiywaNedbank RC GN6:27:09 Elena Nurgalieva8Maxed Elite International
2012d5:31:03 Ludwick MamaboloMaxed Elite KZN6:07:12 Elena Nurgalieva7Maxed Elite International
2011u5:32:45 Stephen Muzhingi3Formula 1 Bluff Meats AC6:24:11 Elena Nurgalieva6Maxed Elite International
2010d5:29:01 Stephen Muzhingi2Formula 1 Bluff Meats AC6:13:03 Elena Nurgalieva5Maxed Elite International
2009d5:23:27 Stephen MuzhingiFormula 1 Bluff Meats AC6:12:08 Olesya Nurgalieva2Maxed Elite International
2008u5:24:49 Leonid Shvetsov2Harmony International6:14:38 Elena Nurgalieva4Maxed Elite International
2007d5:20:49 Leonid ShvetsovHarmony International6:10:11 Olesya NurgalievaHarmony International
2006u5:35:19 Oleg KharitonovHarmony International6:09:24 Elena Nurgalieva3Russia
2005d5:27:10 Sipho NgomaneHarmony AC MPL5:58:50 Tatyana ZhirkovaRussia
2004u5:31:22 Vladimir Kotov3Maxed Elite PE6:11:15 Elena Nurgalieva2Premier AC
2003d5:28:52 Fusi NhlapoLiberty Nike AC CG6:07:46 Elena NurgalievaRussia
2002u5:30:59 Vladimir Kotov2Maxed Elite International6:14:21 Maria Bak3Germany
2001d5:25:51 Andrew KeleheRentmeester Fattis & Monis GN6:13:53 Elvira KolpakovaRussia
2000u5:25:33 Vladimir KotovMaxed Elite International6:15:35 Maria Bak2Germany
1999d5:30:10 Jaroslaw JanickiMaxed Elite International6:31:03 Birgit LennartzGermany
1998u5:26:25 Dmitri Grishine2Rentmeester Fattis & Monis WP6:38:57 Rae BisschoffRocky Road Runners
1997d5:28:37 Charl MattheusRentmeester Fattis & Monis WP5:58:24 Ann Trason2USA
1996u5:29:33 Dmitri GrishineRentmeester Fattis & Monis WP6:13:23 Ann TrasonUSA
1995d5:34:02 Shaun MeiklejohnMaxed Elite KZN6:22:57 Maria BakGermany
1994u5:38:39 Alberto SalazarUSA6:41:23 Valentina LyakhovaComrades International
1993d5:39:41 Charly DollGermany6:55:07 Tilda TearleSavages AC
1992u5:46:11 Jetman Msutu[note 1]unknown6:51:05 Frances van Blerkunknown
1991d5:40:53 Nick Besterunknown6:08:19 Frith van der Merwe3Benoni Northerns AC
1990u5:40:25 Bruce Fordyce9Rand AC7:02:00 Naidene HarrisonLadysmith AC
1989d5:35:51 Samuel Tshabalalaunknown5:54:43 Frith van der Merwe2Benoni Northerns AC
1988u5:27:42 Bruce Fordyce8Rand AC6:32:56 Frith van der MerweBenoni Northerns AC
1987u5:37:01 Bruce Fordyce7Rand AC6:48:42/ Helen Lucre3Hillcrest Villagers AC
1986d5:24:07 Bruce Fordyce6Rand AC6:55:01/ Helen Lucre2Hillcrest Villagers AC
1985u5:37:01 Bruce Fordyce5University of Witwatersrand6:53:24/ Helen LucreHillcrest Villagers AC
1984d5:27:18 Bruce Fordyce4University of Witwatersrand6:46:35 Lindsay Weight2University of Cape Town AC
1983u5:30:12 Bruce Fordyce3University of Witwatersrand7:12:56 Lindsay WeightUniversity of Cape Town AC
1982d5:34:22 Bruce Fordyce2University of Witwatersrand7:04:59 Cheryl WinnPirates Road Running
1981u5:37:28 Bruce FordyceUniversity of Witwatersrand6:44:35 Isavel Roche-Kelly2University of Cape Town AC
1980d5:38:25 Alan Robb4Germiston Callies Harriers7:18: Isavel Roche-KellyUniversity of Cape Town AC
1979u5:45:02 Piet VorsterCollegians Harriers8:22:41 Jan Mallenunknown
1978d5:29:14 Alan Robb3Germiston Callies Harriers8:25: Lettie van Zyl3Germiston Callies Harriers
1977u5:47:00 Alan Robb2Germiston Callies Harriers8:58: Lettie van Zyl2Germiston Callies Harriers
1976d5:40:53 Alan RobbGermiston Callies Harriers9:05: Lettie van ZylGermiston Callies Harriers
1975u5:53:00 Derek Preiss2Westville AC10:08: Elizabeth Cavanagh2Estcourt AC
1974u6:02:49 Derek PreissWestville AC10:40: Alet KleynhansJohannesburg Harriers AC
1973d5:39:09 Dave LevickUniversity of Cape Town AC8:40: Maureen Holland4unknown
1972u5:48:57 Mick OrtonTipton Harriers9:26: Maureen Holland3unknown
1971d5:47:06 Dave Bagshaw3Savages AC8:37: Maureen Holland2unknown
1970u5:51:27 Dave Bagshaw2Savages AC10:50: Elizabeth CavanaghEstcourt AC
1969d5:45:35 Dave BagshawSavages AC
1968u6:01:11 Jack Mekler5Germiston Callies Harriers
1967d5:54:10 Manie KuhnSavages AC
1966u6:14:07 Tommy MaloneGermiston Callies Harriers[66]: 23 9:30:00 Maureen Hollandunknown
1965d5:51:09 Bernard Gomersallunknown10:07: Mavis HutchinsonGermiston Callies Harriers
1964u6:09:54 Jack Mekler4Germiston Callies Harriers
1963d5:51:20 Jack Mekler3Germiston Callies Harriers
1962u5:57:05 John Smithunknown
1961d6:07:07 George ClaassenGermiston Callies Harriers
1960u5:56:32 Jack Mekler2Germiston Callies Harriers
1959d6:28:11 Trevor Allen2Durban AC
1958u6:26:26 Jack MeklerGermiston Callies Harriers
1957d6:13:55 Mercer DaviesGermiston Callies Harriers
1956u6:33:35 Gerald Walsh2Durban AC
1955d6:06:32 Gerald WalshDurban AC
1954u6:12:55 Wally Hayward5Germiston Callies Harriers
1953d5:52:30 Wally Hayward4Germiston Callies Harriers
1952u7:00:02 Trevor AllenDurban AC
1951d6:14:08 Wally Hayward3Germiston Callies Harriers
1950u6:46:25 Wally Hayward2Germiston Callies Harriers
1949d6:23:21 Reg Allisonunknown
1948u7:13:52 William Savage2Durban AC
1947d6:41:05Hardy Ballington5unknown
1946u7:02:40 Bill Cochrane2unknown
not held from 1941 to 1945 due to World War II
1940u6:39:23 Allen BoyceDurban AC
1939d6:22:05 Johnny Coleman2unknown
1938u6:32:26 Hardy Ballington4unknown
1937d6:23:11 Johnny Colemanunknown
1936u6:46:14 Hardy Ballington3unknown
1935d6:30:05 Bill Cochraneunknown
1934u7:09:03 Hardy Ballington2unknown
1933d6:50:37 Hardy Ballingtonunknown9:31:25 Geraldine Watson3unknown
1932u7:41:58 William SavageGermiston Callies Harriers11:56:00 Geraldine Watson2unknown
1931d7:16:30 Phil Masterton-SmithNatal Carbineers AC11 hrs + Geraldine Watsonunknown
1930u7:27:26 Wally HaywardGermiston Callies Harriers
1929d7:52:00 Darrell Daleunknown
1928u7:49:07 Frank Suttonunknown
1927d6:40:56 Arthur Newton5unknown
1926u6:57:46 Harry Phillipsunknown
1925d6:24:45 Arthur Newton4unknown
1924u6:58:22 Arthur Newton3unknown
1923d6:56:00 Arthur Newton2unknown11:35:00 Frances Haywardunknown
1922u8:40:00 Arthur Newtonunknown
1921d8:59:00 Bill Rowanunknown
Comrades Marathon winners