Double history at Comrades: South Africans George Kusche and Gerda Steyn smash Up Run records

The 2026 Comrades Marathon will go down as one of the most historic editions of The Ultimate Human Race, as South Africans George Kusche and Gerda Steyn both shattered the Up Run course records in remarkable victories.

Kusche led the way into Pietermaritzburg, becoming the first athlete to break the tape and claim the men’s title in a phenomenal 5:15:56. Race analysis shows that the South African star athlete made a decisive early move and held off the chasing pack over the unforgiving climbs to rewrite the Comrades Up Run record books.

Moments later, Gerda Steyn took her crown as the queen of Comrades to cross the finish line in 5:44:53, breaking the women’s Up Run record and solidifying her ambitions to become one of the greatest ultramarathon runners of her generation.

Through every punishing kilometre from Durban to Pietermaritzburg, both champions embodied the spirit of the 2026 race theme, Ska Fela Moya - never lose hope, never give up.

A race known for testing the limits of human endurance witnessed not one but two historic performances, as Kusche and Steyn didn’t simply win their races - they transformed the history books to deliver a landmark moment for South African running.  

100 Ultimate Human Races! 

First run in 1921 as a tribute to soldiers who lost their lives in the First World War, the Comrades Marathon has grown from a small field of just 34 runners into the world’s oldest and largest ultramarathon - even with being paused for five years during the Second World War, as well as in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, its spirit of resilience has endured.

More than a century later, The Ultimate Human Race continues to test the limits of human endurance - and the 2026 Up Run added another extraordinary chapter as George Kusche and Gerda Steyn shattered the course records on a historic day for South African running. 

The 2027 Comrades Marathon will mark the 100th running of The Ultimate Human Race - a landmark moment expected to attract unprecedented global interest. Combined with the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon joining the elite Abbott World Marathon Majors circuit in 2027 as Africa’s first Major, South Africa is entering a defining era as a world-class running destination.

For many athletes, these races represent far more than a finish line and chasing personal bests. They are bucket-list achievements coupled with a unique way to experience extraordinary destinations along the way.