The Boksburg Athletic Club (BAC) will be represented by a strong blend of seasoned campaigners and first-time entrants at the 99th Comrades Marathon on June 14.

A contingent of 71 athletes will don the club’s blue-and-white colours and line up outside Durban City Hall for the 85.77km up run to Pietermaritzburg.

Awaiting them are the race’s notorious “Big Five” climbs – Cowies Hill, Fields Hill, Botha’s Hill, Inchanga and Polly Shortts – before the finish at Scottsville Racecourse.

Ten BAC runners will be making their Comrades debut, while Dewald Kruger, Sydney Martins and Kgaditsi Aphane will be aiming to secure back-to-back medals after successful performances last year.

One of the club’s major milestones will be veteran Edward Banda’s pursuit of his double green number.

Having completed his first Comrades in 1999, Banda is targeting his 20th finish in the Ultimate Human Race.

 He will be joined by fellow double green number holders, Wynand Strydom, who boasts 25 finishes, and Zacharia Mogotsi and Benjamin Truter with 23 respectively, while Cosnath Zitha is set to take on his 21st Comrades.

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The men’s contingent comprises about 56 runners, including some of the club’s top performers. Among them is Paul Kasu, a four-time silver medallist with an impressive up-run personal best of 6:53:37.

Isaac Mokgola, who has completed four Comrades races, including two in BAC colours, returns with an up-run best of 7:14:03.

Also expected to feature strongly is Kevin Porobich, a four-time finisher with five Bill Rowan medals and a personal best of 7:46:33, while veteran David Gamede will be chasing his fifth finish.

Gamede claimed the grandmaster’s title in the 2024 up run after clocking 7:04:45.

BAC’s women’s team will be led by Christina Silale and Lindy-Lee Folscher among a group of 15 athletes.

Silale was the club’s first woman home at last year’s race, while one of Folscher’s standout achievements came in 2022 when she finished 14th overall in the women’s race.

Veteran Rita van Wyk, who is preparing for her 15th Comrades finish, club secretary Caronn Harris and Brigitte O’Connor will also be among the club’s representatives.

BAC enjoyed a successful campaign in 2025, collecting 2 silver medals, 13 Bill Rowan medals, 7 Robert Mtshali medals, 12 bronze medals, and 17 Vic Clapham medals.

The race gets underway at 05:00 outside Durban City Hall, with thousands of runners set to take on one of the world’s most iconic ultramarathons.

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