There was no stopping Gerda Steyn at the Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon on Saturday. The 37-year-old ultra Queen made it seven wins in a row and clocked the second fastest time in history over the 56km course.

Steyn, running with her trademark smile for most of the race, finished in 3 hours 27 minutes and 43 seconds, just 49 seconds off her own 2024 course record. Kenya’s Margaret Jepchumba, who had managed to stay with Steyn until the 42km mark, finished second in 3:33.31. Steyn has now won every Two Oceans since 2018.

In the men’s race, 25-year-old Arthur Jantjies, from Hopetown in the Northern Cape,  outlasted 2024 winner Onalenna Khonkhobe of South Africa after a cut-and-thrust final 14km to win in 3:09.25. Khonkhobe finished second in 3:10.00 with Zimbabwean Blessing Waison, who had led the race up until the 49km mark, hanging on bravely for third in 3:11.13.

It was on the second ultra marathon Jantjies had run after finishing sixth in the City To City Ultra in 2025, but under the guidance of coach John Hamlett, he had trained hard for a top placing at the Two Oceans.

“We did more than enough training,” the Pan African Resources club runner said. “Our coach pushed us hard, and there were times when I thought I was a bit overcooked.”

I could hear people shouting ‘Go, Gerda, Go!’ In training, you log lots of miles out on your own, so this feels like a celebration of all the work that has been done.

But it was yet another remarkable performance from Steyn, with local fans cheering her on around the famous course. Jepchumba was the only one of the leading athletes to stay with Steyn as she blasted up Chapmans Peak and headed towards the final challenge up Constantia Nek. As the two approached the 42.2km mark, Steyn accelerated on the slow drag towards the climb, and Jepchumba was unable to stay with the pace.

“I knew it would be a challenging race with a strong women’s field this year,” Steyn said. “I felt today that there were a lot more ladies right there until very late in the race, so I had to focus on winning.

“Going for the record did go through my mind but the main focus was just keeping the pace high to ensure the win. I still feel I ran a strong race, so I’m very happy with the result.”

 

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Steyn was also overwhelmed with the support she got on the route.

“I can’t explain it in words. Even early in the morning, when you can barely see anyone, I could hear people shouting ‘Go, Gerda, Go!’ In training, you log lots of miles out on your own, so this feels like a celebration of all the work that has been done. It has a lot of meaning to me.”

Gerda clocked an average pace of 3:42 mins/km over the distance with her final 6km split of 21:35 moving her up from 34th position overall to 24th on the finish line.

 

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In the men’s race, Zimbabwean Blessing Waison was part of a early break that got clear of the main bunch within the first kilometre. Waison led by 1:30 over the chasers at the 42.2km mark and continued to lead over the top of Constantia Nek despite his pace slowing. The Nek had already broken up the lead bunch and only Jantjies, Khonkhobe and defending champion Joseph Seutloali had survived.

…in training we always picked up our pace in the final 8km of all our runs so I knew I could keep going…

Waison was eventually caught by the trio at the 49km mark, and soon after, the wiry Khonkhobe made his bid for glory with a spirited acceleration on the descent down towards Kirstenbosch. But Jantjies, who has never beaten Khonkhobe, refused to surrender and as Khonkhobe faltered, Jantjies surged past while Seutloali was left behind and failed to finish.

“I know that Oneleanna is faster than me and I knew he would have a strong finish,” Jantjies said, “but in training we always picked up our pace in the final 8km of all our runs so I knew I could keep going. I just focused on my stride and knew I wasn’t going to stop.

“Maybe he (Khonkhobe) gave up too early, but when I caught him, I just went.”

Men’s Results:

1. Arthur Jantjies (South Africa) – 3:09:25
2. Onalenna Khonkhobe (South Africa) – 3:10:00
3. Blessing Waison (Zimbabwe) – 3:11:13
4. Dennis Kipkosgei (Kenya) – 3:11:29
5. Tumelo Moja (South Africa) – 3:12:07
6. Sphamandla Nkosi (South Africa) – 3:12:42
7. Siboniso Sikhakhane (South Africa) – 3:12:42
8. Malixole Kalideni (South Africa) – 3:12:49
9. Mphatso Nadolo (Malawi) – 3:13:16
10. Msawenkosi Mthalane (South Africa) – 3:13:32

Women’s Results:

1. Gerda Steyn (South Africa) – 3:27:43
2. Margaret Jepchumba (Kenya) – 3:33:31
3. Nobuhle Nobukhosi Tshuma (Zimbabwe) – 3:38:34
4. Shelmith Muriuki (Kenya) – 3:39:14
5. Rholex Jelimo (Kenya) – 3:40:38
6. Mildred Chepkemei Kinyanja (Kenya) – 3:42:42
7. Bize Beyira Negasa (Kenya) – 3:43:00
8. Neheng Khatala (Lesotho) – 3:43:43
9. Courtney Olsen (U.S.) – 3:44:40
10. Loveness Madziva (Zimbabwe) – 3:48:54

Kenyans Dominate Half Marathon

Foreign athletes delivered a commanding performance as Felix Kibet Masai of Kenya won the men’s half marathon race in the fastest time since 2017 (the current course has been in use since 2012), while Namibia’s Lavina Haitope dominated an open women’s race for the biggest victory of her road running career.

Lining up as an unknown quantity against many of his South African opponents, Kibet Masai, who set a 10km personal best of 27:24 in France on 4 April, shocked the field with a flying start. Accompanied by his compatriots Shadrack Ngumbau Musyoka and Joshua Mengich, the trio clocked 15:35 for the first five kilometres before crossing halfway in 31:27.

With the damage done, all the East Africans had to do was maintain the pace. Although George Kusche, who finished as the first South African in fourth position, tried valiantly to give chase, Masai, Musyoka and Mengich stayed ahead, cresting Southern Cross Drive together roughly 20 seconds clear.

The Kenyans swept the podium as Masai recorded a commanding 1:03:17 victory, which was just one second outside Namakoe Nkhasi’s 1:03:16 course record set nine years ago.

In the women’s race, Haitope was unchallenged as she breasted the tape in 1:14:36. The Nedbank Running Club athlete who won the 2025 Nelson Mandela Bay Half Marathon in Gqeberha, finished almost two minutes clear of 2022 champion Fortunate Chidzivo of Zimbabwe (1:16:29) and more than three minutes before Emma Pallant-Browne crossed the finish line in third position (1:18:09). A podium finisher in 2013 and the owner of three Two Oceans Half Marathon top 10 finishes, Haitope used her knowledge of the course to her advantage.

Image by Mark SampsonMen’s Results:

1. Felix Masai 01:03:17
2. Shadrack Ngumbau Musyoka 01:03:41
3. Joshua Kiptegei Mengich 01:03:42

Women’s Results:

1. Lavinia Haitope 01:14:36
2. Fortunate Chidzivo 01:16:29
3. Emma Browne 01:18:09

Two Oceans Marathon Trail Runs Celebrate 13 Years

Now in its 13th edition, the Two Oceans Marathon Trail Run delivered two action-packed distances, 24km and 16km on Friday.

Collin Kanyimo proved to be in a league of his own, crossing the finish line first in the 24km trail run in an impressive time of 2:02:07, while Ebeth Marais won the women’s race on debut in 02:18.

Melikhaya Msizi was dominant in the men’s 16km race, crossing the finish line first in 01:18:12 while Louise Muller won the women’s equivalent in 1:30:34.

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