COMRADES CENTENARY
Nothing beats a Bruce Fordyce story !
CMA Chairperson and 1982 women ’ s winner Cheryl Winn
22 former winners reunited
WINNERS AND STALWARTS
The 35 runners who took to the streets of Pietermaritzburg on 24 May in the 1921 Comrades Centenary Run included 20 former winners ( 14 men and six women ), as well as another 12 men with Quadruple Green Numbers ( 40 or more finishes ) and three women with Triple Green Numbers ( 30 or more finishes ). Between them , this incredible group of runners has 36 wins , 123 gold medals , and an incredible 1006 finishes ! This group is a veritable ‘ who ’ s who ’ of Comrades celebrities of the past half century , and their ‘ race numbers ’ on the day of the Centenary Run are included in brackets after their names .
MEN ’ S WINNERS
Winner 1976-78 & 80 |
Alan Robb ( 18 ) |
42 medals ( 12 golds ) |
Winner 1981-88 & 90 |
Bruce Fordyce ( 14 ) |
30 medals ( 11 golds ) |
Winner 1991 |
Nick Bester ( 30 ) |
15 medals ( 9 golds ) |
Winner 1992 |
Jetman Msuthu ( 16 ) |
14 medals ( 3 golds ) |
Winner 1995 |
Shaun Meiklejohn ( 6 ) |
30 medals ( 10 golds ) |
QUADRUPLE GREENS
47 Medals |
Barry Holland ( 9 ) |
41 Medals |
Tommy Neitski ( 5 ) |
47 Medals |
Louis Massyn ( 25 ) |
40 Medals * |
Boysie van Staden ( 27 ) |
43 Medals |
Vic Boston ( No number ) |
40 Medals |
Johann van Eeden ( 17 ) |
42 Medals |
Dave Lowe ( 8 ) |
40 Medals |
Shaun Wood ( 19 ) |
Winner 2000 / 02 / 04 |
Vladimir Kotov ( 13 ) |
15 medals ( 7 golds ) |
Winner 2001 |
Andrew Kelehe ( 34 ) |
14 medals ( 10 golds ) |
Winner 2003 |
Fusi Nhlapo ( 2 ) |
15 medals ( 10 golds ) |
Winner 2005 |
Sipho Ngomane ( 10 ) |
5 medals ( 2 golds ) |
Winner 2012 |
Ludwick Mamabolo ( 32 ) |
7 medals ( 7 golds ) |
Winner 2013 |
Claude Moshiywa ( 4 ) |
16 medals ( 7 golds ) |
42 Medals Mike Cowling ( 7 )
42 Medals Wietsche van der Westhuizen ( 26 )
42 Medals Zwelitsha Gono ( 24 )
41 Medals Dave Williams ( 15 )
* Includes 6 gold medals
TRIPLE GREENS
31 Medals |
Pat Fisher ( 20 ) |
30 Medals |
Kim Pain ( 23 ) |
30 Medals |
Pat Freeman ( 29 ) |
Winner 2015 Gift Kelehe ( 1 ) 12 medals ( 6 golds ) Winner 2016 David Gatebe ( 31 ) 7 medals ( 2 golds ) Winner 2019 Edward Mothibi ( 28 ) 2 medals ( 2 golds )
NOTE : While he was unable to join the run , Another Quadruple Green attending the gala function was Kenny Craig ( 40 medals ), who earned his quadruple laurel in 1998 , the same year as the late Clive Crawley . They were the first two runners to achieve this milestone .
WOMEN ’ S WINNERS
Winner 1985-87 |
Helen Lucre ( 11 ) |
8 medals ( 4 golds ) |
Winner 1992 |
Frances van Blerk ( 33 ) |
22 medals ( 1 gold ) |
Winner 1993 |
Tilda Tearle ( 22 ) |
30 medals ( 3 golds ) |
Winner 1998 |
Rae Bisschoff ( 3 ) |
14 medals ( 3 golds ) |
Winner 2015 |
Caroline Cherry * ( 21 ) |
7 medals ( 3 golds ) |
Winner 2016 |
Charné Bosman ( 12 ) |
6 medals ( 6 golds ) |
* Known as Caroline Wöstmann at the time of winning |
NOTE : With three-time men ’ s winner Bongmusa Mthembu ( 2014 , 2017 , 2018 ) as well as CMA Chairperson Cheryl Winn ( women ’ s winner in 1982 ) also at the gala function , the total number of winners present on the day was 22 , the largest single gathering of Comrades winners since 25 met for a reunion in 1983 .
Group shot at the finish of the Centenary Run
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