TOP CONTENDERS Here are the top four contenders for the 2025 Comrades Marathon Men’s title, including defending champions Piet Wiersma (left) and Tete Dijana (right), and dark horse Joseph Manyedi. Picture: Rajesh Jantilal/AFP
Image: Rajesh Jantilal/AFP
With the Comrades Marathon set for Sunday, the big question is which men’s athlete will cross the line first around 11 a.m. in Durban.
Unlike the women’s race where Gerda Steyn will be the heavy favourite to claim her fourth title, the men’s contest is much more wide open.
It seems like ancient history when there was one dominant force in the men’s race, namely Bruce Fordyce with nine titles - eight of which were consecutive.
Here are four top contenders in the ‘down run’ ending in Pietermaritzburg, for the Comrades Marathon men’s title.
Piet Wiersma
Piet Wiersma, also known as the ‘Flying Dutchman’, is the defending champion. Of course, his breakthrough victory came in the ‘up-run’ last year, but he will be keen to show he has the ability to win on the reverse route. To his credit, the man from the Netherlands also finished second on the same down run in 2023.
Tete Dijana
Tete Dijana is the defending champion on the down run, having won the title in 2023. It was his second title in a row, after also claiming victory on the up run a year prior.
Joseph Manyedi
Joseph Manyedi finished fourth last year and will be hoping to continue his progress in the gruelling ultra-marathon. Manyedi notched up a PB of 5:28:33 in 2024, in what was his fourth gold medal (top-10) in his eight attempts so far. Manyedi is one runner who could indeed be a dark horse on race day.
Edward Mothibi
Edward Mothibi is another former Comrades Champion, having claimed his title in 2019. Having finished 16th in 2024, the 40-year-old would like to prove he can still ‘play with the big boys’.