Gerda Steyn delivered another dominant performance at the Comrades Marathon on Sunday, winning the women’s race from Durban to Pietermaritzburg and securing her fifth overall title in the iconic ultra-marathon.

She also set a new up-run record with an unofficial finishing time of 5:45:02, reinforcing her status as one of the most successful athletes in the event’s modern history.

This victory marks her fourth consecutive Comrades win, extending an unbeaten streak whenever she has competed in the race since her breakthrough triumph in 2019, excluding years when the event was cancelled or she did not contest the ultra-distance.

Steyn gradually asserted control of the race, finally breaking away from Nobukhosi Tshuma at around the four-hour mark before pushing ahead to build a decisive lead.Tshuma finished second on the road, while Irvette van Zyl secured third place, completing a strong field behind the champion.

The result further highlights Steyn’s consistency at elite level endurance running, complementing her recent success at the Two Oceans Marathon, where she has also enjoyed a long winning streak.In the men’s race, George Kusche produced a breakthrough performance, setting a new up-run record with a time of 5:16:06.He took the lead late in the race after a carefully paced effort.Piet Wiersma finished second in 5:19:45 (unofficial), followed by Mbuti Mollo in third in 5:21:40 (unofficial).The men’s race was closely contested, with no clear favourite before the start, adding to the drama of the Ultimate Human Race.