On Sunday, 20 000 athletes will take on the 2023 Comrades Marathon from Pietermarizburg to Durban on Sunday June 11.

This year, the Lowveld will be represented by 237 runners from 22 clubs.

In 2022, 18 local clubs sent 214 runners to the Comrades. Twenty-five athletes did not finish the race, and 189 successfully completed it. Six silver medals were brought back home.

Covid played a huge part in some of the runners not being prepared.

Professa Moondisi finished in 06:36 in 82nd position. Moris Maiga was Bella’s second man home in 06:47:30. He was the 41st
senior man 40-49 and 109th man overall in the race.

Caroline Josten, who lives in White River and was running for Murray and Roberts, was the first Lowveld woman, 15th overall and the ninth veteran woman in 07:09. A knee injury has prevented her from competing this year.

The next Lowveld woman was Manda Gomes, a 40+ runner, in 08:16, while the first senior lady to finish was Tarryn Lokotsch in a time of 08:35.

Will 2023 turn the tide? Is it possible that we might see younger runners taking up the challenge and trying to beat the 07:30 cut-off for silver? Is there a possibility for a sub-six hour or even a gold?

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In the last two decades of the previous century, the Lowveld produced three gold medalists: Sipho Masango (first), Chris Reyneke (third) and Rudi du Plessis (sixth).

The 131 men and 106 women from the Lowveld who will tackle this gruelling, brutal yet iconic race over 87.7km are far better prepared this year. Comrades moved race month from August to June. This has allowed the athletes to train better without the fear of colds and flu. It also allowed training in the early mornings and after working hours.

City of Mbombela Marathon Club will have the largest contingent, with 68 runners registered. They are followed by Bella’s Athletics Club with 57 hopefuls. Hazyview Marathon Club and Great East Marathon Club are the smallest clubs with one entrant each.

In the absence of Gomes, it will be up to Lokotsch, Thandeka Hlatshwayo and Simone Odendaal, a novice, to carry the banner for the Lowveld female runners and try and run a sub-08:30 Comrades.

Sandy Maclagan, running in the club colours of Nedbank LVCC, is the only 60+ female.

Last year’s silver medallists, Maiga, Moondisi, Thulane Nhlapho, Sifiso Shange, Lovers Hlatshwayo and Paul Kekana will once again line up the start.

Samuel Makamu will again aim for silver.

Deane Mortlock has been training very hard with only one goal in mind – to run a sub-six hours and earn a Wally Hayward medal.

Some of our local runners clocked over 1 500km in training, and this makes the possibility for silver medals so much more likely.