Running 168km for a cause

GEORGE NEWS - Running every kilometre with a purpose beyond the finish line, George athlete Lodelia Kombrink stormed to victory in the women's MUT Miler at the 2026 MUT by UTMB while raising awareness and funds for child protection organisation Matla A Bana.

Kombrink not only claimed the women's title in the demanding 168km mountain ultra through the Outeniqua Mountains, but also used her race to support the organisation's Xtreme for Kids initiative, which assists children in South Africa affected by sexual abuse.

Every kilometre of her challenge contributed towards Matla A Bana's work, including the creation of child-friendly reporting spaces and the provision of comfort packs for vulnerable children navigating the justice system.

The campaign has a fundraising target of R100 000.

Kombrink, who had overcome a serious car accident and spinal surgeries earlier in life, was told she might never compete in sports again.

Now, except for being an elite ultramarathon athlete, she's a mother of three, a healthcare professional and an advocate for vulnerable children after her work in public healthcare exposed her to the trauma experienced by abused children.

Matla A Bana - A voice for children

Matla A Bana works to support children who have experienced sexual abuse, with a focus on reducing the secondary trauma they often face when reporting such cases through the justice system.

Its work includes victim support programmes, education initiatives and efforts to improve reporting environments for vulnerable children.

The organisation puts a spotlight on the scale of the crisis facing children in our country, as sexual violence against minors, especially young girls, remains alarmingly high.

Its core goal is to strengthen support systems so that children are treated with care and dignity when coming forward, rather than being further traumatised by the process.

Kombrink's MUT Miler campaign formed part of this work, raising awareness and funds while she completed one of the toughest ultradistance events in the country.

Emotional experience

After her win, Kombrink said the experience was as emotional as it was physical.

"Preparing for a race and completing it is something emotional for every athlete. It's something you work towards, and this year, the stars just aligned for me," she said.

Kombrink described the race as highly competitive, particularly in the women's field. "It was proper racing. And it was so nice to have proper women's racing on the Miler," she said.

However, the journey through the mountains was not without difficulty.

"I had a proper dark moment from Oakhurst to Bergplaas. My blood pressure dropped. You get those moments, and you need to focus and mentally get yourself out of them. I can push through very bad conditions, but there were some really tough times," she said.

Despite the setbacks, Kombrink held her lead to secure the women's win in one of South Africa's toughest ultradistance events, and hopefully the stars will align for her again in 2027.

Kombrink at the finish line of her MUT Miler. Photo: Bianca Asher