Galant Breaks 26-Year-Old SA Marathon Record

by Mike Finch | 29 April 2025

Photo: Instagram @elroygalant

After almost retiring in 2022, 38-year-old Elroy Galant followed up his 11th place in the Olympic marathon last year by breaking the South African marathon record at the weekend.

Galant clocked 2 hours 5 minutes 36 seconds on his way to fourth place in the Haspa Marathon in Hamburg, Germany to break his own personal best of 2:08.56 and beat Thys’ 1999 record of 2:06.30 by almost a minute. The mark also qualified him for the World Championships in Tokyo later this year. Kenyan Amos Kipruto won in 2:03:46.

Galant planned to retire from running in 2022 but was encouraged to continue by a member of his local community who had told him what an inspiration he was.

Before the German event, Galant was 11th on the South African all-time list.

Gelant also set another personal best over 21.1km when he ran 60:22 in the Bashir’s Run Half Marathon in Belgium in March.

All-time Best South African men’s times in the marathon
1 2:05.36 Elroy Galant, Hamburg (27 April, 2025)
2 2:06.30 Gert Thys, Tokyo 2:06.30 (14 Feb, 1999)
3 2:06.42 Stephen Mokoka, Osaka (26 Feb, 2023)
4 2:06.55 Hendrik Ramaala, London (23 April, 2006)
5. 2:07.06 Ian Syster, London (14 April, 2002)
5. 2:07.06 Thys, Seoul (14 March, 2004)
7. 2:07.28 Josiah Thugwane, Fukuoka (7 Dec, 1997)
8. 2:07.40 Stephen Mokoka, Shanghai (8 Nov, 2015)
9. 2:07.44 Ramaala, London (26 April, 2009)
10. 2:07.45 Gert Thys, Chicago (11 Nov, 1998)

Galant Breaks 26-Year-Old SA Marathon Record

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