CAPE TOWN – While many South Africans were barely awake, South Africa’s golden girl, Gerda Steyn, was crossing the finish line to clinch her seventh successive Two Oceans Marathon victory.
The marathon and ultramarathon athlete finished the 56km route in 3:27:43, representing Hollywood Athletics Club.
Gerda Steyn crosses the finish line to claim her 7th Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon title, clocking an incredible 3:27:43. Video: Kaylynne Bantom/ People’s Post
Before sunrise on Saturday, 11 April, runners set off in waves to start the 2026 Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town, according to irunfar, a leading digital media resource dedicated to trail running and ultrarunning. The 56km road race, widely considered one of the world’s most beautiful marathons, navigates along the coastlines of both the Indian and Atlantic Oceans.
The course starts on Main Road, Newlands, and ends at the University of Cape Town, passing through city, forest and mountainous landscapes. The challenging climbs on Chapman’s Peak Drive and Constantia Nek are positioned in the back half of the race, with approximately 700 metres of elevation gain.
Women’s race
A large lead pack worked together to maintain a steady pace in the early stages, with the front 10 women separated by mere seconds at the 5km mark. By 20km, Steyn had moved to the front alongside Nobuhle Nobukhosi Tshuma (Zimbabwe) and Margaret Jepchumba (Kenya).
At the marathon mark, Steyn passed through in 2:34:33, poised to push towards another victory. Jepchumba held on but ultimately dropped back by the 50km mark as Steyn’s speed proved too much for the field, irunfar reported.
Speaking to the media after her race, Steyn said she knew the race would be challenging. “I knew what place I needed to be to break record. I didn’t make the record but still feel I ran a strong race. For me it was a successful race.”
When asked whether she would be returning next year, Steyn said: “When I won my first Two Oceans Marathon, I never envisioned winning seven. I take it year by year. I feel strong and feel I have a few more years in me.”
Runner-up Jepchumba finished in 3:33:31. “The race was tough. But I had to fight to be second,” she said. Tshuma finished third in 3:38:34.
Men’s race
The men’s race saw significant position changes throughout, with Blessing Waison (Zimbabwe) and Tshepo Ramashamole (Lesotho) taking the lead at 14km. However, everything changed by the 50km mark.
Arthur Jantjies from Hopetown, competing in his first Two Oceans Marathon ultra after winning the half marathon twice before, dominated the climbs to take victory in 3:09:25.
“The race was beautiful. My fellow competitors put on a good show. For a small town boy winning is a big thing. My coach always says, ‘we stay small and fly under the radar’. And whatever coach says, I do,” said Jantjies.
Onalenna Khonkhobe (South Africa) finished second in 3:10:00, while Waison held on for third in 3:11:13.
The race attracted some 14 000 entries for the ultra marathon, part of a weekend of racing that included two trail races on Friday and a half marathon on Sunday.
Top three finishers
Women:
- Gerda Steyn (South Africa) – 3:27:43
- Margaret Jepchumba (Kenya) – 3:33:31
- Nobuhle Nobukhosi Tshuma (Zimbabwe) – 3:38:34
Men:
- Arthur Jantjies (South Africa) – 3:09:25
- Onalenna Khonkhobe (South Africa) – 3:10:00
- Blessing Waison (Zimbabwe) – 3:11:13
- View full results here
