Update
GEORGE NEWS - In a moment that threatened to grab the headlines away from the winners of the 2025 Comrades Marathon, George's Louis Massyn (74) crossed the finish line, supported by Rhyno Smith and Hernus Stols, teammates from his Outeniqua Harriers Multisport Club, to become the first person in history to complete 50 Comrades Marathons.
The clock on the finish line gantry in People's Park showed 11:53:14, the chant of "Louis, Louis, Louis!" over the announcer's PA system almost drowned out by the roar of the crowds that lined the fencing alongside the road.
"It was absolutely more than tough today, especially over the last 15-odd kilometres," said Massyn shortly after finishing, "but what a blessing for me to be the first athlete ever to finish this iconic, world's greatest ultramarathon 50 times."
The humble athlete praised the support he had received along the way, saying that the words "Good luck", "Go Louis!" and "What a legend" were still ringing in his ears.
Massyn said the days following the race have been a blur of interviews with radio stations around South Africa and invitations to special functions as a VIP guest. His phone has not stopped ringing.
He told George Herald he has been invited to take part in the upcoming Knysna Forest Halfmarathon as a special guest, and this will be his first run following the Comrades.
He said he would give himself a decent rest after Knysna, before another invite to take part in the coastal marathon from Swakopmund to Walvis Bay in Namibia on 4 October.
He will use this to try and qualify for next year's Two Oceans Marathon and Comrades, and the decision on next year's two big ultras will be made depending on how the qualification goes.
So for now, while Massyn reiterates that there are no immediate and final decisions, he smiles and says: "My running shoes have not been hung up. My legs are not yet stumps - and I've always said that until my legs are stumps, I will keep on running!"
Outeniqua Harriers saw 25 runners completing the 89.98km down run from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, while the Nedbank Running Club of George had 28 runners.
At the sharp end of the field, Tete Dijana and Gerda Steyn grabbed the respective wins.
Dijana crossed the finish line in 5:25:28, just five seconds ahead of Dutchman Piet Wiersma in a near repeat of the drama two years ago, while crowd favourite Gerda Steyn, who has been dubbed 'the smiling assassin', took the top spot once again to cement her title as South Africa's queen of ultradistance running. Steyn crossed the line in 5:51:19, ahead of Russian Alexandra Morozova and Kenyan Shelmith Muriuki.
The fastest male finisher from George was Willard Jussa of Outeniqua Harriers in 6:35:46, and the fastest woman was Nerida Lubbe of the Nedbank Running Club in a fast 7:22:47.
Read a previous article: Fabulous 50 for fantastic Massyn
Louis Massyn (right) celebrates his 50th Comrades with fellow Outeniqua Harriers member Rhyno Smith. Massyn fondly calls Smith his 'Karoo-seun'.
Fellow athlete Barry Holland congratulates Massyn after the race. Holland was going to complete 50 Comrades with Massyn this year, but couldn't compete due to injury. ‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’
