KIMBERLEY – Hopetown’s Arthur Jantjies continues to make giant strides on South Africa’s running circuit, with yet another trophy added to a collection that keeps growing at breathtaking speed.

The 26-year-old long-distance runner and current Two Oceans ultra-marathon champion claimed victory at the inaugural Nelson Mandela Marathon on Sunday in Cape Town, crossing the finish line in a personal best time of 2:15:14 and securing his third Cape Town victory for the year.

By winning the inaugural Nelson Mandela Marathon, he took more than four minutes off his previous standard marathon personal best. For the first 21km, Jantjies remained among a leading group of 30 men, and at the 40-kilometre mark he made his move to improve his personal best time, which was exactly what he had in mind.

In April this year, Jantjies, who was relatively unknown at the time, won the 56km Two Oceans Ultra Marathon in 3:09:25. After this victory, “King Arthur” – as Jantjies was already known in the Northern Cape – began to be mentioned in the same breath as the “Queen of Two Oceans,” Gerda Steyn. This was his first-ever attempt at the 56km distance and he pulled off a major upset by hunting down and passing the pre-race favourites in the final kilometres.

In May he won the 10km Peace Run in the Mother City.

Jantjies is also the brand ambassador of the upcoming Diamonds and Dorings Kimberley Big Hole Marathon taking place on 24 and 25 October.

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‘Shining star’

Northern Cape MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture, Mangaliso Matika, said Jantjies represents a perfect example that your current or past background does not have to decide where you end up in life.

“He is a shining star that keeps flying the Northern Cape flag high,” Matika said.

Jantjies, who matriculated at Steynville High School in Hopetown, discovered his running potential under the guidance of Pamela Jonas and Maryna van der Walt. His talent was later refined at the Hopetown Running Club under coach Sydney Stevens. Before joining John Hamlett at Pan African Resources Club, Jantjies was a member of the Kgosi Galeshewe Athletics Club in Kimberley for three years.

Jantjies’s previous achievements are achieving his personal best time (2:19:42) at the Durban International Marathon on 28 April 2025; winning the 55th Diamond Marathon in Kimberley (2:22:53) in March 2025; and winning the 54th Diamond Marathon (2:27:23) in March 2024.

ALSO READ: Northern Cape’s Arthur Jantjies earned himself PB in Durban

Crossing the finish line just after Jantjies on Sunday in Cape Town was Tsépo Ramashamole of Hollywood Athletics Club Lesotho (2:15:24), with Moses Tarakinyu of Akasia (2:15:34) in third place.

The women’s winner in the marathon is Ethiopia’s Bize Beyira Negasa of the Nedbank Running Club (2:36:42), with Malineo Mahloko of Durban second (2:43:53) and Fortunate Chidzivo of Akasia third (2:49:55).