Comrades Marathon management changes qualifying criteria
The board in charge of the Comrades Marathon has decided to adjust the qualifying criteria for prospective participants in this year's race to offer more athletes the opportunity to become part of this iconic race.
With 150 days to race day, the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) announced a significant change to the qualifying criteria for this year’s 98th Comrades Marathon.
Effective immediately, the qualifying time for the standard 42.2km marathon has been adjusted to 5 hours for all participants.
This change is aimed at making the Comrades Marathon more inclusive and accessible to a broader range of runners, encouraging more athletes to qualify for and participate in this iconic event, the race, which will take place this year on Sunday, June 8.
The decision was made after careful consideration and consultation with various stakeholders, including athletes, coaches, and running clubs.
“We are thrilled to make the Comrades Marathon more accessible to a wider range of runners. This change reflects our commitment to inclusivity and the growth of the sport,” said CMA Chairperson, Mqondisi Ngcobo.
According to Ngcobo, the Ultimate Human Race continues to uphold its tradition of challenging endurance and celebrating the spirit of camaraderie and perseverance.
“We believe that this adjustment will inspire more runners to participate and experience the unique challenge and camaraderie that the Comrades Marathon offers,” he remarked.
CMA Acting Race & Operations Manager, Alain Dalais pointed out that the new qualifying time is a fantastic move, which opens up the race to more participants and encourages a greater diversity of runners to take on this incredible challenge.
Monday, 5 May 2025 is the final date for submission of qualifying details for this year’s Comrades Marathon. Athletes are required to submit their qualifying race and time, running club details, provincial club licence number and fill in the medical questionnaire.
Qualifying for the 2025 Comrades Marathon is applicable as of 10 June 2024 till 5 May 2025. The qualifying criteria for this year’s race will be to complete a standard 42.2km marathon in under 5 hours.
Athletes who wish to update their details can log into their entry profile via the Comrades website at www.comrades.com .
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
