Steyn Crowned Comrades Champion as Hollywood Athletics Club Ladies Shine

Gerda Steyn delivered another masterclass clocking magnificent 05:51:19 to win the 98th edition of the Comrades Marathon between Pietermaritzburg to Durban. 

Steyn was too good on the day, winning the race for a fourth time. The South African ultra-marathon legend wrote a piece of history becoming a first woman in 12 years to win Comrades for three consecutive years. The last to do it was Elena Nurgalieva of Russia, back in 2013.

It proved to be a good day at the office for Hollywood AC’s women as four in total managed to obtain Comrades Gold Medals for finishing inside the top 10. Multiple Olympian Irvette Van Zyl had a resounding debut running a fine 06:07:35 to finish in fourth position while Carla Molinaro achieved back to back Gold for an outstanding 06:13:03 to place sixth overall. Meanwhile Courtney Olsen of the United States of America produced fine 06:17:48 performance to finish in ninth position in her first race running in the famous Purple colours.

The 35-year-old Steyn who notched her second big win of the year following her victory at Two Oceans Marathon expressed delight on claiming another victory.

“I’m very happy to win the race one more time. Each time I tackle the Comrades, I put extra effort to position myself to deliver a good performance. Today, it was no different as I did everything according to the plan. This win is up there among the best in my running career. To get a tenth big win of my career is something special and a wonderful feat too,” explained Steyn, who was part of the South African marathon team in last year’s Olympics Games in Paris.

Steyn – who has a marathon personal best time of 02:24:03 set at the 2023 Valencia Marathon – will now turn the focus of preparing for a fast marathon later this year.

“I’m going to rest a bit for a few weeks and come back to train hard in July. My target is to get a fast Marathon later in the year,” she said.