Looking ahead to the 2025 Comrades Marathon: Gerda, Piet and the cold
It's that time of the year again!
South Africa's Gerda Steyn won the Comrades up run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg on 9 June 2024. Picture: YouTube
702's John Perlman chats to athletics commentator Mosibodi Whitehead, about the state of readiness for the Comrades Marathon this year.
Listen below:
Followers of South Africa's biggest running event of the year are gearing up with excitement... so what can we expect on Sunday?
On the women's race, Whitehead says that Gerda Steyn is likely to be unbeatable again, with the only possible threat coming from Russia’s Alexandra Morozova.
"Things have to go very wrong for Gerda Steyn to be beaten."
- Mosibodi Whitehead, Athletics Commentator
In terms of the men's race, Piet Wiersma is still a favourite - although this year he will likely have more of a challenge from down run record holder Tete Dijana.
The weather this year might also be a factor, as it's expected to be uncharacteristically cold this year - but Whitehead says cooler conditions generally work in elite athletes' favour.
RELATED: How to prepare for a marathon, according to official Comrades coach
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the discussion.