A forgiving course and red-hot defending champions set the stage for what promises to be a spectacular fourth annual Bestmed Madibaz Half-Marathon this Saturday in Gqeberha, with 2,000 runners expected to tackle the prestigious event and its supporting distances on 25 July.
Three-time women’s champion Refeloe Solomons has confirmed she’ll be on the starting line chasing an unprecedented clean sweep of titles, bringing form that has been nothing short of sensational throughout the 2026 season. The middle-distance track specialist triumphed in 1:22:39 last year before recently claiming the Volkswagen HealthCare 21.1km in an even quicker 1:22:33.
Defending men’s champion Melikhaya Frans, who was runner-up on his event debut in 2024 before claiming line honours in 1:05:34 last year, returns to defend his crown against a field hungry to dethrone the Eastern Cape star.
New sponsor bolsters growing event
The road race has received a significant boost through a brand-new title sponsorship from Bestmed, whose backing has allowed organisers to expand the programme to cater for a broader spectrum of participants. The event now features three distances, 21.1km, 10km and 5km – with the latter added in 2025 specifically to accommodate novices, families and students eager to experience competitive running in a welcoming environment.
The 5km addition aligns perfectly with Bestmed’s stated goal of inspiring ordinary people to make physical activity an integral part of their wellness journey rather than viewing it as the exclusive domain of elite athletes.
Karen Pienaar, Bestmed’s sponsorship and CSI specialist, emphasised that the decision to back athletics at the tertiary institution was heavily rooted in reaching the wider Eastern Cape community. “This isn’t just about the elite runners,” Pienaar explained. “It’s about creating opportunities for everyone to participate in sport and physical activity.”
Entry numbers exceed expectations
Madibaz Athletics manager Bernard Petersen confirmed earlier this week that the club had already processed more than a thousand entries, a strong indicator they’ll comfortably reach their target number by race day.
All entrants will start from the Madibaz Stadium before heading towards the second traffic circle at the South Campus’s main entrance, the flat route offering quick times for those chasing personal bests whilst remaining accessible enough for first-timers to complete with confidence.
“We have an amazing race in store and look forward to welcoming everyone to our campus,” Petersen declared. “Be part of the experience.”
Race day logistics
The feature half-marathon and 10km events kick off at 7am, whilst the 5km gets underway at the more leisurely time of 7:30am, perfect for those who prefer a slightly later start on Saturday morning. The first 2,000 finishers across all distances will each receive a race medal, ensuring everyone who crosses the line leaves with tangible recognition of their achievement.
Entry fees remain accessible: R180 for the 21.1km, R120 for the 10km, and just R50 for the 5km. Athletes competing in the half-marathon or 10km who don’t belong to a registered club will need to purchase a temporary licence for R50 – a standard requirement that doesn’t apply to 5km participants.
Late entries are accepted from 4pm to 7pm on Friday 24 July, and from 5:30am to 6:45am on race day at the Madibaz Indoor Centre, though procrastinators will pay an additional R20 late-entry fee for leaving it to the last minute.
With defending champions in form, a fast course, perfect winter running conditions expected, and a field that ranges from elite athletes to first-time fun runners, Saturday’s Bestmed Madibaz Half-Marathon promises to deliver exactly the kind of inclusive sporting spectacle that makes road running South Africa’s fastest-growing participation sport.
Gqeberha, get ready to run.
