Durban – The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) announced on Thursday that 2354 international runners from 84 countries have entered into the 2023 Comrades Marathon.
The 96th Comrades Marathon will be a Down Run on Sunday, June 11, 2023, starting at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall at 5.30am and ending 12 hours later at the Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium in Durban. The route distance of the Down Run is 87.701km.
The association said the lion’s share of runners would be coming from India with 403 athletes, Zimbabwe with 255, the UK with 224, the US with 173 and Brazil with 142.
CMA race director, Rowyn James said the association is pleased with the large number of international entrants in this year’s Comrades Marathon.
“There is no doubt that this is a truly international event. As usual, we offer a very warm South African welcome to athletes and their families from around the world who will be here to share in the spirit and camaraderie of The Ultimate Human Race,” he said.
The top 20 international country entry breakdown includes:
- India - 403 (361 males and 42 females)
- Zimbabwe - 255 (204 males and 51 females)
- UK - 224 (166 males and 58 females)
- US - 173 (108 males and 65 females)
- Brazil - 142 (113 males and 29 females)
- Botswana - 137 (114 males and 23 females)
- Australia - 114 (88 males and 26 females)
- Russia - 108 (85 males and 23 females)
- eSwatini - 102 (75 males and 27 females)
- Zambia - 62 (43 males and 19 females)
- Germany - 60 (44 males and 16 females)
- Namibia - 44 (25 males and 19 females)
- Kenya - 41 (25 males and 16 females)
- Canada - 34 (23 males and 11 females)
- Lesotho - 28 (27 males and 1 females)
- The Netherlands - 26 (23 males and 3 females)
- France - 16 (14 males and 2 females)
- Japan - 15 (10 males and 5 females)
- Ireland - 13 (10 males and 3 females)
- Malawi - 12 (11 males and 1 females)