MBABANE – An eye-watering E8.9 million prize purse awaits Eswatini’s elite athletes following the official launch of the historic 2027 Comrades Marathon centenary edition.
Unveiled on Wednesday at Kings Park Rugby Stadium in Durban, the 100th edition of the iconic ultramarathon, which is taking place on Sunday, June 13 2027, promises to be a landmark occasion for the kingdom’s contingent. Over 50 emaSwati usually take part in this gruelling showpiece, and the legendary 2027 event will be no exception as Eswatini runners prepare to carve their names into distance-running history.
The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) announced a significant nine per cent increase in the total prize money pool compared to 2026, bringing the overall purse to E8 919 100. Both the men’s and women’s champions will walk away with a cool E1 million, while prize money extends all the way down to the top 10 finishers in both categories.
Themed, ‘The Greatest Story Ever Run’, the centenary race marks the 50th traditional ‘Down Run’ from Pietermaritzburg to Durban. Local athletes will navigate a lengthened route of approximately 91km, terminating at the expanded Kings Park precinct. To accommodate unprecedented global interest, the CMA has increased the field cap to a record 28 000 entries while keeping entry fees frozen at 2022 levels to maintain accessibility.
For emaSwati runners aiming to line up alongside the world’s best, the multi-phase entry process opens on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. The initial window caters exclusively to Green Number Club veterans and Yellow Number runners on the cusp of their milestone, followed by CMA members, before opening to general entries.
First run in 1921 to honour fallen soldiers, the ‘Ultimate Human Race’ has evolved into a global spectacle.
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