Demise of Comrades legends

ALBERTON – The two Comrades legends who died within the first two weeks after this year’s Comrades were 97-year-old George Claassens, 1961 Comrades champion and father of Springbok rugby captain Wynand Claassen and Graeme Fraser, six times Comrades gold medallist in the Bruce Fordyce-era of nine Fordyce wins in the eighties.

During Alberton Athletics Club’s 33 years of Comrades history, the club lost two of its foremost members eight years ago in 2006, namely Doreen Bainbridge, a special part of the club as “The key lady” and Coen Klopper, vice-chairman in the 90’s.

Eddie Schonknect, who won 16 Comrades medals from 1968 to 1996 and also the holder of the Alberton record from 1987 to 1991 in a time of 6:25:31, was murdered in Pinetown a few months after completing his 16th Comrades in 7:20:27 on June 15, 1996.

Two Alberton Comrades athletes, Ian Emery (seventh Comrades in 2000 in Alberton colours), and fast runner over short distances Greg Denysshen (first and only Comrades in 1990), both died in cycling accidents while training.

Then there was also Christine Smuts (12 Comrades medals with the last one in 2003), Ian Lee (seven medals with the last one in 1994) and Hennie van Jaarsveldt (three medals with the last one in 1996). In its 110th year of Alberton history, these athletes are saluted and remembered.