Gerda Steyn’s Total Earnings Soar to R1.64 Million After 2025 Comrades Marathon Win

• Gerda Steyn earned a total of R1.64 million at the 2025 Comrades Marathon, combining her winner’s prize with multiple performance bonuses
• Her fourth Comrades Marathon title came with a commanding time of 5:51:19, reaffirming her status as one of South Africa’s greatest ultra-distance athletes
• The event featured a new two-group start format and massive race-day logistics, including over two million water sachets and tons of fruit and food to support nearly 23,000 runners

South African ultra-marathon star Gerda Steyn pocketed a staggering R1,644,000 following her victory in the 2025 Comrades Marathon, thanks to an exceptional performance that earned her more than just the winner’s cheque.

Steyn, fondly known as the “Smiling Assassin,” secured R874,000 for finishing first in the women’s race. However, her day’s work was further rewarded through various performance-based incentives.

Comrades marathon prize money breakdown

In addition to her first-place prize, Steyn claimed:

R550,000 for the best average pace among women

R220,000 as the first South African female finisher

R50,000 for being first to reach the Cell C Hot Spot in the race’s final stretch

These combined to total an impressive R1,644,000 , a sum that highlights both her endurance and tactical brilliance.

Prize Category Amount (ZAR) Description

First Place (Women’s Winner) R874,000 For winning the women’s race

Best Average Pace R550,000 Fastest pace among female competitors

First SA Finisher R220,000 First South African woman to finish

Cell C Hot Spot Winner R50,000 First to reach the designated sprint point

Total Winnings R1,644,000 Combined total of all earnings

Fourth Comrades title for Steyn

The 2025 race marked Steyn’s fourth Comrades Marathon title, with a winning time of 5:51:19, ahead of Alexandra Morozova and Shelmisth Muriuki. Her consistent dominance continues to place her among the all-time greats of South African road running.

Key statistics from Comrades Marathon 2025

The latest edition introduced a two-group start format, with approximately 12,500 elite and seeded runners in the first group, and another 10,000 participants in the second.

Hydration and nutrition figures

Water sachets: 2.2 million

Sports drink sachets: 600,000

Coca-Cola: 30,350 litres

Bananas: 600 boxes

Cooked potatoes: 2 tons

Oranges: 4.5 tons

Gerda Steyn: A national treasure

Steyn also claimed victory in the women’s race in 2023, further cementing her dominance and consistency in the prestigious ultra-marathon. Her back-to-back wins have solidified her reputation as one of the top female ultra-distance runners in the history of the Comrades Marathon.

Moira Harding’s Comrades ordeal sparks safety concerns

Briefly News previously reported that Moira Harding, a 54-year-old runner from Cape Town, was found unresponsive and hypothermic near the NSRI base in Durban after going missing during the Comrades Marathon. She was airlifted to hospital and is now recovering in ICU.

Harding’s sister, Fiona Baldwin, criticised the marathon’s disorganised finish on a public street rather than the usual stadium, blaming the chaotic setup for her sister’s disappearance

Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News