QUALIFYING TIME RELAXED FOR 2025 COMRADES

MBABANE - The iconic Comrades Marathon is opening its doors to a broader range of runners!
With just 150 days to go until race day, the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) has announced a significant change that will make the 98th edition of this legendary event more inclusive than ever before. Effective immediately, the qualifying time for the standard 42.2km marathon has been adjusted to a flat five hours for all participants. This exciting move aims to encourage a wider spectrum of athletes to experience the exhilarating ‘Ultimate Human Race’ scheduled for Sunday, June 8, 2025. The decision to relax the qualifying barrier came after careful consideration and discussions with various stakeholders, including seasoned runners, coaches and running clubs.

According to a post on the CMA’s official page, Chairperson Mqondisi Ngcobo expressed his enthusiasm, stating: “We’re thrilled to make the Comrades Marathon more accessible to a wider range of runners. This change reflects our commitment to inclusivity and the overall growth of the sport.” Ngcobo further emphasised that while the Comrades Marathon will continue to be a gruelling test of endurance, fostering camaraderie and perseverance, this adjustment will undoubtedly inspire more runners to participate. They will now have the opportunity to experience the unique challenge and the incredible sense of community that this prestigious race offers. In the post, Alain Dalais,  the CMA’s Acting Race and Operations Manager, echoed the sentiment, calling the new qualifying time a fantastic move. He believes it opens up the race to a more diverse group of participants, encouraging them to take on this incredible challenge. The deadline for submitting qualifying details for the 2025 Comrades Marathon is Monday, May 5, 2025. Athletes need to submit their qualifying race and time, running club details, provincial club licence number and complete the mandatory medical questionnaire.

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Qualifying for this year’s event applies to races completed between June 10, 2024, and the closing date of May 5, 2025. According to the CMA’s post, to qualify, an athlete must finish a standard 42.2km marathon in less than five hours. “For those who have already submitted entries, updating your details is easy – simply log in to your entry profile via the Comrades website at www.easyreg.co.za,” the post adds. The race will commence at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall at 5:30am and conclude 12 hours later at Durban’s People’s Park, covering an epic distance of approximately 89km. It is worth mentioning that the total number of participants for this year’s edition has been capped at 23 000. The entry fees remain unchanged from those of the 2023 and 2024 races. Zithande Athletics Club Coach Nsizwa Thwala celebrated the move to add 10 minutes to the previous qualifying time.

“Doing my calculations, it means you can run seven minutes per kilometre and still qualify for the Comrades,” Thwala said. He further noted that this change will likely lead to more participants at the starting point and urged athletes to focus on training. Due to the anticipated number of attendees, those seeded further back may take longer to reach the starting line.
“As seasoned runners, we are delighted by this adjustment, which will enable more participants to qualify, particularly accommodating those who run at a slower pace. We eagerly anticipate the journey ahead—training diligently, competing in a qualifying race and ultimately taking our places at the starting line of the Comrades Marathon on June 8, just under 150 days away,” said the International Comrades Marathon Brand Ambassador for Eswatini Khetsiwe Hlophe.

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