Top runners predict open Comrades

It™s been a two-year hiatus for the Comrades Marathon but the long wait is almost over as the much-anticipated ultra-marathon returns on Sunday for a 90km Down Run from Pietermaritzburg to Durban.  

There are no clear favourites in the women™s race this weekend, with former champions Charne Bosman (2016) and Ann Ashworth (2018) predicting an open race. 

The prominent long-distance runners do not know what to expect on race day and insist anyone can cross the finish line first, as she looks to add to her title in the Ultimate Human Race, with defending champion Gerda Steyn having opted to run in the New York Marathon.

"Yes, I'm just going to run my own race on Sunday, as always. I think it's an open race, so I think experience is going to be quite important. I think you need to stay on your race plan," said Bosman.

"I'm just going to focus on my own race, as I said, it's an open race and anyone can run well on Sunday, and we'll see what happens on Sunday.

"It's so good to be here after two years, and I think we're all hungry to have a great race on Sunday, and for the last two years, it wasn't nice to not run this race. I'm just looking forward to Sunday."

Ashworth eachoed these sentiments while adding that she certainly does not consider herself the defending champion, given the 24-month delay since the last time she ran and crossed the line as the first female.

"2018 feels like a lifetime ago, I certainly don't consider myself the defending champion because so much has happened in between then and now," she told the media.

"I think I'm just here to enjoy the race, I'm really thrilled that the race is back after a couple of years of Covid and delays, and I'm just actually really excited to be on the start-line, no matter what happens.

"I don't have any expectations, I'm just raring to go and ready, looking forward to getting out there and participating in my favourite race."

By Charles Baloyi