Nearly 800 runners from Mpumalanga will take part in the 2025 Comrades Marathon on Sunday, June 8, making up 4% of the race’s participants. This year’s marathon will be a down run starting in Pietermaritzburg and ending in Durban, covering a distance of 89.9km.

The Mpumalanga MEC for culture, sports and recreation, Leah Mabuza, has congratulated the runners and wished them success.

“It is not an easy feat to qualify for the Comrades Marathon. The amount of time and effort that goes into qualifying demands dedication, discipline and perseverance. You must be proud of yourselves for qualifying for such a prestigious race. The marathon has proven that indeed it is the ‘Ultimate Human Race’ in that it is a grueling test of endurance. I pray that the down run be easy on you all. I believe that this year’s race will see one of the runners from our province taking to the podium, either as a winner or a runner-up. To steal from an Irish blessing, “May the road rise to meet you and may the wind always be at you back,” said Mabuza.

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She noted the achievement of Professa Mthethwa from the City of Mbombela Marathon Club in last year’s event. He was the first Mpumalangan athlete to cross the finish line with a time of 05:45:30, clinching number 13 in his category and number 18 in the overall standings.