Piet Wiersma wins Comrades Marathon as Gerda Steyn makes history
The 97th Comrades Marathon saw history being made in the men’s and women’s races.
THE Netherlands’ Piet Wiersma won his first Comrades Marathon title on Sunday in dominant fashion.
Wiersma crossed the finish line at the Scottsville Race Course in Pietermaritzburg in a time 5hrs 24min 59sec (unofficial time).
Known as the ‘unknown Dutchman’, Wiersma won the hearts of many South Africans last year where he finished second, a mere three seconds behind winner Tete Dijana.
A student who is based in Italy and does all his training in the mountains, Wiersma had specifically focused on added hill training for this year’s Up Run.
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South Africa’s Dan Moselakwe claimed second while Ethiopia’s Degefa Lafebo finished in third position.
In the women’s race, Gerda Steyn was crowned Queen of the Comrades Marathon as she won her third Comrades Marathon title.
Steyn broke her own Up Run record time finishing in a time of 5hrs 49 min 46 seconds, the previous record she set being 05:58:53.
Steyn, who also won the 2019 (Up Run) and 2023 (Down Run), is now set to represent South Africa at the Olympics in Paris.
This year’s Comrades Marathon, which was the 97th race and 49th Up Run, welcomed a field of more than 20 000 runners.
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