Should he line up for the Comrades Marathon on Sunday, Johannes Maros Mosehla will once again be the oldest competitor at the annual ultra-marathon between Pietermaritzburg and Durban.
Mosehla is now aged 83-years-old and in 2023 he was the oldest competitor in the field at 81 when he crossed the line, and is once again entered in this year’s event.
That made him the oldest-ever runner to finish Comrades, beating out the record held by the legendary Wally Hayward, who finished the race at the age of 80 in 1989. Hayward was a five-time winner of Comrades during his heyday.
Mosehla’s first Comrades came back in 2005 as a relative spring chicken at the age of 63. That year he was unable to finish the race, but since then he has completed a staggering 10 Comrades.
Breaking Barriers: Mosehla’s Inspirational Journey to the Comrades Marathon
As Mosehla revealed in 2023, he had wanted to take part in Comrades as a young man, but apartheid laws prohibited black runners from competing at the time.
“I started running Comrades very late. When I first wanted to take part, black runners were not allowed in the early 1980s. I later joined Polokwane Athletics Club and decided to enter. Unfortunately, because of an injury, I could not run for a few years. I enjoy running the Comrades.
“I prefer the down run because I am light in weight. Most people prefer the up run because the down run is tough on the legs. I find Polly Shorts the toughest part of the route.”
Mosehla, however, is not the only octogenarian in the men’s race. Herman Verhage is the next oldest at 81, while Matule Headbush turned 80 earlier this year.
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