Comrades 2026: Kusche Smashes Record, Steyn Makes History with Fifth Title
On June 14, 2026, the Comrades Marathon delivered one of its most historic days in a century of racing. George Kusche and Gerda Steyn, both South African, each set new course records on the 2026 Up Run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg — 85.777 km of iconic South African ultra-racing. Here's the full breakdown.
Kusche Destroys an 18-Year-Old Record
George Kusche crossed the finish line in Pietermaritzburg in 5:15:56, erasing Leonid Shvetsov's 2008 Up Run record of 5:24:49 by a staggering 8 minutes and 53 seconds. For a debut Comrades victory, it's the kind of performance that rewrites the sport's expectations of what's possible on this course.
Piet Wiersma, the 2024 Comrades champion from the Netherlands, finished second in 5:19:36. South Africa's Mbuti Mollo took third in 5:21:31. Three men under 5:22 on the Up Run has never happened before.
Kusche's pacing was controlled through the early climbs and he built his lead steadily through the middle section of the race. The notorious final ascent into Pietermaritzburg, which typically breaks runners in the closing 20 km, didn't slow him. His second-half split suggests a near-perfect execution of a very aggressive race plan.
Steyn Breaks Her Own Record, Wins a Fifth Title
In the women's race, Gerda Steyn claimed her fifth Comrades title — four of them consecutive — in a new Up Run record of 5:44:53. She beat her own previous mark of 5:49:46 set in 2024 by more than five minutes.
Women's podium:
- Gerda Steyn (RSA) — 5:44:53 (new Up Run record)
- Nobukhosi Tshuma — 5:53:36
- Irvette van Zyl (RSA) — 6:02:30
With five Comrades titles, Steyn now stands among the handful of greatest legends in the race's history. Her dominance since 2021 is unprecedented in the modern era of the event.
What These Times Tell Us About Ultra Running's Current Level
Kusche's record deserves context. Shvetsov ran 5:24:49 in 2008, in favorable conditions, and no one had approached it in 18 years. Kusche didn't just beat it — he destroyed it by almost nine minutes.
Two factors likely explain the shift: carbon-plated shoes have changed how elite runners manage effort across ultra distances since 2019, and there's growing specialization among South African runners for this specific 85 km format. The Comrades is unlike any other ultra — its climb profile, distance, and culture demand specific preparation that the top South Africans increasingly build entire seasons around.
For recreational runners targeting Comrades in 2027, the gold medal cutoff typically sits around 7:30 and silver around 9:00 — realistic targets for well-prepared athletes who build a specific Comrades training block into their year.
Full Results: Top Finishers
Men:
- George Kusche (RSA) — 5:15:56 (new Up Run record)
- Piet Wiersma (NED) — 5:19:36
- Mbuti Mollo (RSA) — 5:21:31
Women:
- Gerda Steyn (RSA) — 5:44:53 (new Up Run record)
- Nobukhosi Tshuma — 5:53:36
- Irvette van Zyl (RSA) — 6:02:30