Whilst the Men’s elite Hollywood Athletics Club misses some big names such as Nkosikhona Mhlwakana who is skipping the 2025 Comrades Marathon, the elite Women’s team that has been assembled is one of the strongest on the day, and will be looking to paint Old Main Road between Pietermaritzburg and Durban Purple!
With a number of elite men skipping this year’s Comrades Marathon to come back next year with a faster standard marathon time in their legs, this year’s Hollywood Athletics Club elite men’s team is not as strong as their female counterparts, however, it still has a blend of strong runners looking to make a name for themselves in the Ultimate Human Race.
Thathe Msimango caught up with Sphamandla Maduna. This remarkable Hollywood AC athlete is hoping to write his own piece of histroy and inspire the running community when he tackles his first Comrades this Sunday.
After a strenuous Two Oceans Marathon which saw Hollywood Athletics Club elite athlete Stephen Mokoka succumb to cramps but still walk it in to finish, many were surprised to see his blistering performance at the recent Absa RYCS 10km Cape Town event where, donning a 40-age category tag on his purple vest, Mokoka made the podium against a world class international field.
After announcing earlier this year that she’s aiming to tackle the Comrades Marathon for the first time in her career, Irvette Van Zyl has been classified in the ‘contenders’ category by athletics pundits. Thathe Msimango caught up with her.
The saying “dynamite comes in small packages” rings true for Makhosi Mhlongo, the pocket rocket from Mpumalanga. Running in the colours of the Hollywood Athletics Club and under the guidance of legendary ultra-distance runner Prodigal Khumalo, Makhosi has become a formidable presence across multiple distances.
