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Gerda Steyn further entrenched her legacy as a legend of the Comrades Marathon on Sunday, with her fourth victory in the grueling ultra-marathon between Pietermaritzburg and Durban.
Steyn crossed the line in five hours 51 minutes and 19 seconds, over four minutes ahead of Alexandra Morozova in second (5:55:56).
Completing the women’s podium was Shelmisth Muriuki in 6:07:56.
The wily ultra star Steyn went out at a steady pace, content to let Elizabeth Mukoloma lead the way in the early stages of the race.
2025 Comrades Marathon Women’s Final Results – Top 10 Finishers
Position
Runner
Finishing Time
1st
Gerda Steyn
5:51:19
2nd
Alexandra Morozova
5:55:56
3rd
Shelmisth Muriuki
6:07:56
4th
Irvette van Zyl
6:11:35
5th
Dominika Stelmach
6:12:02
6th
Carla Molinaro
6:13:03
7th
Jenet Mbhele
6:14:24
8th
Caitriona Jennings
6:16:42
9th
Courtney Olsen
6:17:48
10th
Melissah Gibson
6:19:59
Note: Gerda Steyn delivered a dominant performance to win the 2025 Comrades Marathon women’s race, securing her place among the all-time greats of South African distance running.
Gerda Steyn makes her move
Just over the two hour 20 minute mark, Elizabeth Mukoloma had opened up a major gap over Steyn as she went out at a blistering pace. If she had been able to maintain that pace it would have smashed the down run record, therefore it was just a matter of time before she would be caught and passed.
At the 2h42 mark, Steyn finally caught Mukoloma as she took the lead in emphatic style on the descent down to Drummond on a steep downhill. The only thing Mukoloma could do was watch as Steyn quickly became a tiny figure in the distance.
The top-10 runners in each race will sleep soundly not just from exhaustion but also from the knowledge of their bank balance receiving a significant boost.
Long gone are the days when record nine-time champion Bruce Fordyce won the race purely for prize and not a single cent in prize money.
Fordyce’s last win in the gruelling ultra-marathon took place in 1990, and five years later prize money was first introduced.
This year, both the men’s and women’s top-10 finishers will also receive the same payouts:
1st place - R875,000
2nd place - R438,000
3rd place - R315,000
4th place - R158,000
5th place - R123,000
6th place - R71,000
7th place - R62,000
8th place - R54,000
9th place - R45,000
10th place - R36,000
Gerda Steyn delivered a dominant performance to win the 2025 Comrades Marathon women’s race, securing her place among the all-time greats of South African distance running.
South Africa, Kamogelo Sebelebele on the ball with Manuel Cumbane during the Hollywood COSAFA Cup game at the Toyota stadium in Bloemfontein. PHOTO: Supplied
Tladi Moloi
BLOEMFONTEIN. - South Africa was caught napping as they suffered a disappointing 1-0 to Mozambique in the opening game of the Hollywoodbets COSAFA Cup at the Toyota Stadium on Wednesday.
Thanks to the second half goal by Antonio Sumbane who gave the visitors a bright start. Despite enjoying more time on the ball South Africa failed to find the final touch to put the ball in the back of the net.
Arguably, they should have scored at least three goals in the first stanza had they been clinical enough.
Bafana Bafana was warned early in the second half when an own goal by Puso Dithejane was canceled by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
A VAR was again called to action 10 minutes before the final whistle after South Africa was awarded a penalty but it was later cancelled.
The home team pushed numbers in an attempt to at least save a point on their home turf but they failed to crack a rock-solid Mozamque defence.
The frustrated Vela Khumalo, South Africa mentor pointed out that losing a first game was not the start they wished for.
“It is not the best way to start the tournament. Performance-wise, I thought we played well. We played the way we wanted to. One will then say what needs to be improved from going back to the training session and say how we convert our chances.
“I think in the first stanza we had too many entries into the box and the final third but we could not score. We were rushing things went we got into the box. Second half we spoke to that and make the team aware that and we even made the team aware that the only time they will score is only when they get us on transition which they did exactly that,” he said.
He said his boy rotated the ball very well and he believed with that performance they could go all the way in the tournament.
“You know when you are a position-based team, you get to get carried away with the moment. I think we need to concentrate more, tactically be disciplined, and convert the chances. We created enough chances to win the game but we couldn’t,” Khumalo said.
When reflecting on a VAR, the coach said “VAR is a good thing because that is where the world is going. But I think the officials are taking too long to make judgments and that kills the momentum of the game,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mauritius shared the spoil in a goalless encounter against Zimbabwe in the second game of the day.
South Africa is set to face Zimbabwe in their second Group A match of the 2025 Hollywoodbets COSAFA Cup on Saturday, June 7.
Kobedi Mokoena, Willem Blignaut, Pieter Boshoff, Frank Nhlapo. PICTURE: Supplied
Tladi Moloi
Clarens – The Clarens Golf and Leisure Estate Club made history by winning the 2025 Eastern Free State Golf League title, marking their sixth championship glory since 1993.
The team of six dedicated players proved to be the best in the A-division, showcasing their exceptional skills and teamwork. The B-division title was won by the Harrismith team, who has tasted success in the league on seven previous occasions. According to the Chairman of the Eastern Free State Golf Sub-union, Wouter de Wet, the league was contested over four rounds. The first three rounds are at the group phase to determine the A and B-division lineup, with the fourth round being the final.
A total of eight teams competed for the championship this year and the league has teams from Bethlehem, Clarens, Harrismith, Ficksburg, Reitz, Kestell, and a combined Senekal-Marquard.
The Eastern Free State Golf League started in 1993, and QwaQwa Golf Club was the first winner of the title. "Since 1993, it's being played every year except for the Covid- years, after which the league died for two years.
Abdeslam Ouaddou has jumped ship as Marumo Gallants head coach.
Ouaddou who helped Gallants to survive relegation announced his resignation on Saturday via a press statement.
"I would like to announce with this press release the end of the road adventure with Marumo Gallants club. It has been a great pleasure to have collaborated with all the resources of the club," the statement reads.
The Morroco-born coach joined the Bloemfontein based outfit in March to replace Dan Malesela who was fired by the team.
Ouaddou won the hearts of the Gallants supporters (Siwelele sa Marumo) when he narrowly beat Orlando Pirates by 2-1 in a Betway premiership league encounter which was played at the Toyota/Free State stadium in March.
The coach's statement further reads "I would like to thank first of all my players, my president, as well as all the stakeholders of the club who participated from near or far in this mission to save the club without forgetting our magnificent support," he said.
He wrote as he concluded "I remain open to any proposal for an ambitious project and determined to take on a new challenge
BETHLEHEM – Katleho Success Mahlaba from Bohlokong near Bethlehem is the winner of this year’s South African Slalom Championships.
He won the race during the 2025 South African Slalom Canoe Championships that took place at the Bluesea Dam just above Sol Plaaitjie Dam in Bethlehem on Saturday.
This paddle sport event was hosted by the Dihlabeng Slalom Canoe Club, who were also the defending champions.
Athletes at the Bluesea Dam above Sol Plaaitjie Dam in Bethlehem during the 2025 South African Slalom Canoe Championships. PHOTO:SUPPLIED
About 25 athletes from Cape Town, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Free State took part in the competition. It was divided into categories, K1 and C1, for both males and females.
In other categories, Lindelani Ngidi won the C1 men category while Waris Mills from KwaZulu-Natal won the K1 women.
Mahlaba said defending the championship was not an easy task, but he was thrilled that he managed.
“I am so excited.
Being the SA Champ for the second time is a remarkable achievement. I am looking forward to qualifying for the Olympic Games,” he said.
He said he joined the club in 2006 and immediately fell in love with canoeing. He says he never hesitated to join because he could swim.
“I took part in many competitions and I was happy with my performance,” he said.
Mahlaba, who is working as a firefighter in Bethlehem, said he will keep on working hard regardless of the challenges he faces daily.
“I don’t have enough time to train because I am working Monday to Friday. But I always ensure that I give it my all when I get a chance.
“I want to thank my manager for the patience and belief that he has shown me over the years. The Club is struggling a lot because we don’t have sponsorships, and as a result, we are failing to afford to go overseas to honour some competition,” he said.
Ngidi, one of the organisers and also an athlete in the competition, said he was happy that the contest went well, even though they did not have a sponsor.
"The event went very well. I wasn't expecting it to be such an exquisite one. We did it, against all odds. It was not an easy task to run an event of such a magnitude without a sponsor. I had to use my car, money from my pocket, with some of the team members, Nkosi and Siboniso Cele, helping. That was for the love of the game, nothing else,” he said.
Ngidi, who is also a coach at the Dihlabeng Slalom Canoe Club, said it was not the first time they hosted SA champs.
“We have hosted the SA Championships before, and we even hosted the African Championship twice for Olympic selections, but this one was very stressful because we did not have a sponsor,” he said.
Dihlabeng Slalom Canoe Club started in 2006 with three athletes: Siboniso Cele, Lindelani Ngidi, and Cameron McIntosh. The trio started with a dream to promote a learn how to swim program as well as teach kids canoeing.
Since its inception, the team has grown, and it has more than 20 children training every week.
PRETORIA - Bafana Bafana, has a big task ahead of them this afternoon as they have to beat Malawi to qualify for the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2025 finals.
DURBAN - Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi is confident of ending the team's trophy drought when they face Orlando Pirates in the 2025 Nedbank Cup final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban tomorrow.
South Africa, Kamogelo Sebelebele on the ball with Manuel Cumbane during the Hollywood COSAFA Cup game at the Toyota stadium in Bloemfontein. PHOTO: Supplied
Kobedi Mokoena, Willem Blignaut, Pieter Boshoff, Frank Nhlapo. PICTURE: Supplied
Athletes at the Bluesea Dam above Sol Plaaitjie Dam in Bethlehem during the 2025 South African Slalom Canoe Championships. PHOTO:SUPPLIED
