South African runners Gerda Steyn and George Kusche both won the Up Run of the 99th Comrades Marathon on Sunday, each setting new course records [1, 2].

The simultaneous record-breaking performances mark a historic milestone for the ultramarathon, which is one of the most grueling long-distance races in the world.

Steyn finished the route from Durban to Pietermaritzburg with a time of 5:44:53 [3]. Her performance surpassed the previous women's Up Run record of 5:49:46, which was set in 2024 [6]. This victory represents Steyn's fifth Comrades title [6].

Kusche also secured a record-breaking win in the men's category, finishing in 5:15:56 [3]. His time beat the previous men's Up Run record of 5:24:49, which was established by Leonid Shvetsov in 2008 [7].

The financial rewards for Kusche's performance were substantial. He earned a base prize of R925,000 [3]. Because he broke the course record, he received an additional R605,000 [3]. Kusche also earned R242,000 for being the top-placed South African runner [3].

Both athletes faced the challenging ascent from the coast to the interior of KwaZulu-Natal. The Up Run is widely considered more difficult than the Down Run due to the steady climb in elevation, a factor that makes these specific time records particularly notable.

“Gerda Steyn and George Kusche both won the Up Run of the 99th Comrades Marathon”

The simultaneous breaking of both gender records on the Up Run suggests a significant shift in ultramarathon performance levels. By erasing a men's record that had stood since 2008 and a women's record from 2024, Steyn and Kusche have reset the benchmark for endurance athletics on this specific terrain.