Gerda Steyn paints the 2026 Comrades Marathon Purple in record breaking run

The Hollywood Athletics Club celebrated a memorable day at the 99th edition of the Comrades Marathon on Sunday as Gerda Steyn produced another history making performance, claiming her fifth consecutive title and setting a new Up Run course record in the process.

Steyn once again underlined her status as the queen of ultra-distance running, storming to victory in a new course record time of 5:44:53, further cementing her place in the women’s race as the greatest of all time in the history of the Ultimate Human Race.

Her victory spearheaded a remarkable day for Hollywood Athletics Club’s women’s team, with teammate Irvette van Zyl delivering an outstanding performance to secure third place and a podium finish in one of the strongest women’s fields assembled in recent years.

Adding further success for the club, Courtney Olsen crossed the line 7^th in 6:11:20 whilst Carla Molinaro crossed the line in tenth position to claim a 5^th coveted Comrades Marathon gold medal and giving the club golds on the day in the women’s race. With South African’s Annerie Wooding (07:18:27) and Melissa Jansen van Vuuren (07:18:53) alongside Steyn and van Zyl, Hollywood Athletics Club elite women secured the women’s team prize and reinforced the club’s dominance on South Africa’s biggest ultra-marathon stage.

“It’s only at the Comrades Marathon where you can experience 10 000 emotions in a single day and this victory I will cherish forever,” said an elated Steyn afterwards. “I have dreamed of this moment in training and this victory doesn’t just belong to me, it belongs to all of us and I am so grateful for the incredible support.”

“To see Gerda win a fifth consecutive title and break the course record is truly special,” said Hollywood Athletics Club Elite Team Manager Manfred Seidler. “Gerda continues to redefine what is possible in this race, while Irvette’s podium finish and Courtney and Carla’s gold medal performances showcased the incredible depth within our women’s team. Winning the ladies’ team competition is a reward for months of dedication and hard work from every athlete involved.”

While the women celebrated a historic day, the men’s race produced one of the fastest Up Runs ever witnessed, creating a brutally competitive battle for the coveted gold medals.

Much of the pre-race attention centred on Hollywood Athletics Club stars Tete Dijana and Edward Mothibi, two former Comrades champions with proven pedigree on the famous route.

Mothibi delivered one of the finest performances of his career, stopping the clock in an incredible 5:30:03. Remarkably, such was the depth and pace of this year’s field that his effort was only good enough for 11th place, leaving him heartbreakingly short of a gold medal by just 23 seconds.

“Obtaining 11^th position was not an easy thing and I fought all the way to the finish line but it was not good enough on the day, as the pace was so fast,” said Mothibi. “When we witnessed Sawe running 1:59 in the marathon it made us really motivated and we can get closer to the 5 hour barrier in my opinion. I am enjoying my rest for now and then will run the Hollywoodbets 10km and a marathon towards the end of the year. I want to congratulate the winner and all of the top 10 and I will be back next year. Thank you Hollywood for all of your support and being in our corner. I will make you proud.”

The statistics underline just how extraordinary the race was. Mothibi’s time would have been enough to win seven of the last ten Up Run editions of the Comrades Marathon and was significantly faster than the performance that earned him victory in the 2019 Up Run.

Despite missing out on a gold medal, Mothibi’s performance ranks among the standout runs of the day and highlights the exceptional standard that defined the men’s race from start to finish.

Although the Up Run title proved elusive for Tete Dijana, the three-time Comrades champion remains one of the biggest names in ultra-distance running and attention will already be turning towards next year’s race. Dijana lost contact with the leaders with 30km to go, finishing in 5:59:36.

“My preparation went well for the race but on the day it was just not the day for me,” Dijana said. “I still have a belief that I can run the up run and will be back in 2028 for it but for now, I will rest and recover and return to the down run next year to do my best.”

The 2027 Comrades Marathon will be particularly significant as it marks the 100th running of the event and a return to the Down Run route. As the defending Down Run champion and fastest Comrades runner in history, Dijana will arrive as one of the athletes to watch as he targets what would be a fourth consecutive Down Run victory on the biggest stage the race has ever seen.

Seidler believes the performances delivered by both squads provide plenty of reasons for optimism heading into the landmark centenary edition.

“The level of competition this year was extraordinary. Edward’s performance was world-class and shows just how fast the race was when a 5:30 effort leaves you just outside the gold medals. Our women delivered an unforgettable day for the club, while the men’s team showed they can compete with the very best in one of the strongest fields we’ve seen. We are proud of every athlete and already excited about what lies ahead as Comrades heads towards its historic 100th running.”

From Gerda Steyn’s record-breaking fifth consecutive triumph to a dominant women’s team victory and exceptional performances throughout the elite squad and the over 1300 Hollywood Athletics Club members who took part in this year’s race, the purple stars once again left their mark on the Comrades Marathon, ensuring that the club’s colours featured prominently among the stories of the day.