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The race is still on for the thousands, as the winners are already through with theirs. More than 12,000 runners from 47 countries participated in the Comrades this year, a rise in participation count of 17% over the previous year.
Complete results: results.comrades.com
Track Your runner: Comrades track your runner service
Live finish line video: Comrades video streaming service
Last years 3rd place finisher, 33 year old Zimbabwean Stephen Muzhingi won the mens race in a time of 05:23:26, which is the second fastest time ever, behind Russian Leonid Shvetsov’s 2007 time of 05:20:49. Stephen was 3rd in Comrades 2008, 7th in 2007 and was 4th in this years Two Oceans. Defending champion Leonid Shvetsov (winner 2007, 2008) was second in 05:33:05 and Charles Tjiane (South African) was third in 05:34:18.
From twitter updates, I can see that out of the top 10 finishers, 9 are from Africa (including 8 from SA) and 1 Russian. Watching the live streaming video from the Comrades website, though a defective power adapter means I am out of sound.
Russian twin sisters Olesya (winner 2007) and Elena Nurgalieva (winner 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008) lead from the front, and were separated by just 3 seconds at the finishing line, finishing 1st and 2nd respectively. Oleysya’s time was 6:12:08 and Elena (last year winner) finished in 6:12:11. The twins had earlier won at the Two Oceans 56 KM run this year, where they finished the run with their hands joined, and the judges had a tough time deciding who was first!
Russian Tatyana Zhirkova (winner 2005) was 3rd in 6:15:00, another 3 minutes behind. 36 year old Farwa Mentoor was the first South African to finish, in 5th position in 6:45:03. Farwa has a number of top 10 places over the last several years.
- Stephen Muzhingi (ZIM) 5:23:27
- Leonid Shvetsov (RUS) 5:33:10
- Charles Tijane (SA) 5:34:21
- Fusi Nhlapo (SA) 5:36:17
- LucasNonyana (SA) 5:39:29
- Mncedisi Mkhize (SA) 5:41:14
- Bongmusa Mthembu (SA) 5:41:52
- Peter Molapo (SA) 5:42:25
- Bethuel Netshifthefhe (SA) 5:43:35
- Harmans Mokgadi (SA) 5:44.49
- Olesya Nurgalieva (RUS) 06:12:12
- Elena Nurgalieva (RUS) 06:13:14
- Tatyana Zhirkova (RUS) 06:15:03
- Marina Myshlyanova (RUS) 06:30:42
- Farwa Mentoor (SA) 06:45:33
- Lesley Train 07:01:07
- Marina Bychkova 07:03:24
- Lindsay Van Aswegen 07:08:55
- BelindaWaghorn 07:09:36
- Kashmira Parbhoo 07:16:13
Some interesting stats from the event:
12,952 runners entered the race, 11,505 started the race, 10,006 finished the race. So, 86.9 % of the starters finished the race.
On the medical front, 671 runners required treatment, which is less than 2% of the field. 58 runners were hospitalized. 3 runners had seizures and were admitted to intensive care.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
@Rishi: Congrats on a great finish at Ottawa! Thats excellent for a start, and your first one. There’s a lot you learn with every run, so look forward to making big leaps going ahead. Whats next?
Hi Tanvir, How is the preparation for Comrades going on? Your passion is really inspiring.
I could do Ottawa in 4.50. Was on the course for a 4.30 finish (according to my pace band) till 32 mark- then there was a big hill and had to slow down. At 37 mark hit the infamous “wall” and afterwards each step was a conscious effort. But overall it was exhilirating to finish the first marathon. And Ottawa race is one of the best organized race- crowd support was fabulous- I will highly recommend this race to those interested. Best wishes.
Rishi