Canadian results from the Comrades Marathon virtual races
South Africans won every one of the virtual races, but some Canadians still posted great results
After the Comrades Marathon was forced to cancel due to COVID-19, race organizers planned a virtual event—which they called Race the Comrades Legends—instead. The event was held on Sunday, the same day as the in-person marathon had originally been scheduled. The Comrades Marathon is normally 87K or 90K (the course alternates between two directions each year), but for the virtual event, organizers added 45K, 21K, 10K and 5K race options to the traditional 90K distance. South Africans have won the men’s Comrades Marathon since 2012 and the women’s event for the past two years, and they continued their winning ways on Sunday, taking the top spots in every virtual race, while several Canadians registered big results in their age groups and the overall rankings.
“To all the runners who stepped – up to Race The Comrades Legends today. Wishing you all the best today #IamMyOwnLegend#RaceTheComradesLegends #TheUltimateVirtualRace #IamMyOwnLegend pic.twitter.com/oAvkLwB4LK
— ComradesRace (@ComradesRace) June 14, 2020
South African sweep
South Africans won each event on both the men’s and women’s sides in the Comrades virtual races. In total, only 15 runners who aren’t from South Africa finished in the top 10, meaning that South Africans earned 85 per cent of the top-10 finishes in Sunday’s virtual races.
RELATED: The nine medals you can win at the Comrades Marathon
On the men’s side, South Africans swept each podium, from the 5K up to the 90K, with the best non-South African finishers in fourth place. For the women, South African runners took the top two spots in each race, and in the half-marathon and 10K, the top 10 finishers were all from the host country.
FINAL COUNT: 43788 entries! Thank-you for your overwhelming support and epic participation in #RaceTheComradesLegends
For entry stats please go to:https://t.co/DVFADP8duc#RaceTheComradesLegends #TheUltimateVirtualRace #IamMyOwnLegend pic.twitter.com/pGfKWpzyws
— ComradesRace (@ComradesRace) June 15, 2020
Canadian finishers
The races featured a whopping 43,788 participants from around the world, some of whom were from Canada. Here are the top Canadian results from the event.
RELATED: Calum Neff finishes Comrades Marathon strong, stroller-free
Tanya Zarin
Race: 90K
Time: 9:49:09
Rank: 291st (30th female and third in Women 50-54 category)
Stacey Kuypers
Race: 90K
Time: 10:12:41
Rank: 377th (38th female and fifth in Women 35-39 category)
Sean Abraham
Race: 21K
Time: 1:25:27
Rank: 95th (35th in the Men 19-34 category)
Race: 21K
Time: 1:39:40
Rank: 589th (61st female and first in the Women 60-64 category)
RELATED: Meet Elizabeth Waywell, new Canadian 60-64 marathon record-holder
Alida Viljoen
Race: 21K
Time: 1:40:44
Rank: 666th (71st female and 23rd in the Women 19-34 category)
Heleen De Necker
Race: 21K
Time: 1:42:40
Rank: 805th (90th female and 24th in the Women 40-44 category)
Ellie Greenwood
Race: 10K
Time: 41:08
Rank: 97th (17th female and fourth in the Women 40-44 category)
Bev Dyer
Race: 10K
Time: 53:09
Rank: 866th (218th female and 25th in the Women 40-44 category)
Mike Master
Race: 10K
Time: 45:40
Rank: 219th (179th male and first in the Men 65-69 category)
Ron Peddle
Race: 5K
Time: 22:25
Rank: 68th (third in the Men 60-64 category)
Katrina Dutkiewicz
Race: 5K
Time: 25:18
Rank: 188th (50th female and 13th in the Women 19-34 category)
