Edward Mothibi ready to fight for Comrades Marathon crown

Returning after a two-year hiatus, team manager Nick Bester believes Nedbank running Club star Edward Mothibi is in shape to put up a fight in defence of his Comrades Marathon title next week.

While women’s champion Gerda Steyn has opted to focus on the New York Marathon in November, Mothibi will be back for this year’s ‘down’ run between Pietermaritzburg and Durban after winning the 2019 ‘up’ run in the other direction.

The 2020 and 2021 events were cancelled due to the Covid pandemic, and after having to show some patience before making his return to the brutal 90km course, Mothibi has been working hard in camp to prepare for the race, training alongside the likes of fellow Comrades contender Joseph Manyedi and debutant Tete Dijana.

“Edward and his training partners had a very successful training camp which we hosted, and I am confident that they will be rewarded for the hard work that they put in,” said Bester, a nine-time Comrades gold medallist who won the race in 1991.

“Besides having the defending champion in the form of Edward, we have a strong (Nedbank) team with a good mixture of former winners, gold medalists and some exciting novices.”

Fine form

Though competition was limited during the national and global lockdowns, Mothibi did not let it slow him down, and he showed his form late last year when he set a standard marathon personal best of 2:13:54 to finish 13th at the Cape Town Marathon.

In his only two previous attempts at Comrades, 37-year-old Mothibi finished fourth and first, and his coach Dave Adams is confident he is ready to make an impact again.

“We are prepared for the race and will run it smartly,” said Adams, “and if the race ends up being fast up front, we are prepared for that.”

The 95th edition of the Comrades Marathon will start at 5.30am in Pietermaritzburg on 28 August.