Durban - Johannes Maros Mosehla, 81, from Limpopo broke a 34-year record on Sunday during the 96th Comrades Marathon down run from Pietermaritzburg to Durban by becoming the oldest person to complete the 87.7km ultra-marathon.
The KZN Department of Sport, Arts and Culture said the record for the oldest finisher was held for 34 years by the legendary Wally Hayward.
According to the department, in 1989 Hayward finished 1min 57sec before the cut-off time at the age of 80 becoming the oldest finisher in the history of the Comrades Marathon.
“In his[Mosehla’s] 10th Comrades Marathon race on Sunday, June 11, he smashed Hayward’s record in spectacular fashion crossing the finishing line in 9 hours 26 minutes and 10 seconds (9:26:10) at 2h56pm. He became the oldest competitor to complete the iconic ultra-marathon,” said the department.
Speaking to The Mercury on Monday, Mosehla said he was very happy to have completed the Comrades and to break the record.
“I’m feeling okay today, my body is okay but my legs are sore,” he said.
During the 2023 Comrades Marathon Champions Breakfast Prize-giving Ceremony held at Elangeni Hotel in Durban on Monday, MEC Ntuthuko Mahlaba awarded Mosehla a cash prize for his achievement.
“For his efforts, I’d also like to give Mr Mosehla R20 000 from my own pocket. He proved that he was an exceptional human being,” he said.
Mosehla, who runs for the Polokwane Athletic Club, thanked the MEC for the gift at the breakfast saying it would encourage him when he embarks on the up-run next year.
“I am thankful for the money I received and I am going to invest it,” he said.
Mosehla said he planned to compete in next year’s Comrades Marathon where he hopes to improve his time.
He said other elderly people could also do what he had done.
“They should not look at their age, but at what their bodies can do. If the body is strong they can also take part in such events.”
Corrie Calitz, chairman of the Polokwane Athletic Club, said he was very impressed with Mosehla’s remarkable performance.
“Last year he finished in 11: 33 and this year he was two hours faster. He was good at the finish. The club is impressed with his performance and as long as he is healthy he must run,” he said.
Calitz said next year Mosehla, who started running at the age of 60, would be running for his green number at the Comrades Marathon. He said due to injuries he had not participated in all the Comrades Marathons.
According to the Comrades Marathon website, the criteria for inclusion in the Comrades Marathon Green Number Club Roll of Honour is three wins or five golds or 10 plus medals. Mosehla currently has nine medals.
SA runners Tete Dijana and Gerda Steyn also both broke long-standing Comrades Marathon records as the men’s and women’s winners of the down run from Pietermaritzburg to Kingsmead Stadium in Durban