FEATURE
4 MINS 03 SECONDS
New men’ s SA maratho is a story of more tha the numbers
In the cool, crisp air of Hamburg, Germany, while the Rainbow Nation back home celebrated Freedom Day on Sunday 27 April, a quietly determined 38-year-old veteran long-distance athlete rewrote a piece of South African sporting history.
Elroy Gelant crossed the finish line of the 2025 Hamburg Marathon in 2:05:36— not just fast, but the fastest ever by a South African, breaking a national record that stood untouched for 26 years. The previous mark, a proud 2:06:33 set by Gert Thys in Tokyo in 1999, had long seemed beyond reach. But Elroy proved otherwise.
Though he finished fourth behind Kenyan star Amos Kipruto’ s world-class 2:03:46, Elroy’ s performance reverberated through the heart of the South African athletics fraternity. It was not merely about time. It was about transformation, resilience, and a journey that many had stopped watching, but one he refused to abandon.
“ I’ m delighted, I’ m grateful and honoured to be the new South African marathon record holder,” an elated Elroy said in an exclusive interview early on the morning after the race, his voice heavy with emotion.
“ I received a call yesterday from Gert Thys congratulating me on breaking his SA record. But for me it’ s not so much about being the record holder. I was only focused on testing my own abilities.”
And test them he did.
Elroy’ s previous best time over the standard 42.2km distance was 2:08:56. But on that Sunday morning, everything came together— the months of unseen sacrifice, the emotional weight of representing a forgotten generation, and the drive to silence time itself.
“ I carry their legacies with me,” Elroy said of South African marathon greats like Josia Thugwane, Hendrick Ramaala and Zithulele Sinqe.
“ But I also want to show the next generation that it’ s never too late. This record is not just mine. It belongs to everyone who has ever felt forgotten or counted out.”
In breaking the record, Elroy not only qualified for the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, but also redefined what physical, emotional and spiritual endurance means.
One of our roving reporters, Adnaan Mohamed, spoke to Elroy Gelant to learn the remarkable story behind smashing Gert Thys’ longstanding SA Marathon record on Freedom Day.
He was burnt out and disillusioned when he stepped away from competitive running in late 2022. Elroy found himself heavier,
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