Zimbabwean Runner Wins Bronze at Two Oceans Marathon After Crawling to Finish and Collapsing

• A Zimbabwean athlete produced one of the most dramatic finishes of the Two Oceans Marathon 2026, battling extreme fatigue
• Despite collapsing moments after crossing the line, she claimed third place in the women’s race, earning a bronze medal
• The emotional finish, coming in a race dominated by Gerda Steyn’s seventh straight victory, sparked widespread reaction and admiration across social media

A Zimbabwean runner showed enormous determination and grit on Saturday, 11 April 2026, at the Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town when she summoned what was left of her energy to crawl towards the finishing line before collapsing at the end, in the process coming third and winning the bronze medal.

In a race ultimately won by the legendary Gerda Steyn, who secured her seventh consecutive title, Nobuhle Nobukhosi Tshuma stole the spotlight when she soldiered on in the dying stages of the run. The gruelling 56km race had clearly taken its toll on the athlete as she appeared visibly exhausted towards the finish line.

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She stunned watching fans when she forced herself to the line by crawling the final stretch to claim third place in 3:38:34, albeit in dramatic fashion. As she collapsed at the finish line, medics rushed to her and provided medical attention. Her courageous run earned her a medal along with prize money of R100,000.

Social media reacts to Tshuma’s dramatic finish

Social media celebrated her resilience and determination, with many comments admiring Tshuma’s fortitude. Other users found motivation from the moment, while some went philosophical.

@pnyamutara:

“Never quit in life 😍.”

gabijaymary:

“Motivation at its peak, #don’t give up.”

@euni.celuvluv:

“Life lessons: Never give up on your dreams and on yourself, no matter what 🔥🔥🔥🙏.”

@Nolbert Khambadza:

“If you can't run, walk… if you can't walk, crawl. Life lesson. Never stop!”

@Grivias Murungweni:

“Why are my tears falling?”

@Happiness Muleya Kibi:

“Who is cutting onions with me… Well done, gal.”

@Lovemore Thabani Dube:

“She does that in most of her races. Why blow precious seconds?”

@Munei Zhou:

“She crawled faster.”

@Marlvin Mufo:

“Is that 3 hours 38 minutes of running? 😢”

Watch the video of the moment below on Facebook:

Nobuhle Tshuma's running record

Tshuma runs for the Entsika Athletics Club and is coached by respected South African athletics figure Hendrick Ramaala. She is a Zimbabwean-born long-distance and ultra-marathon runner based in South Africa, competing in distances ranging from 10km races to ultras such as the Comrades Marathon and Two Oceans Marathon.

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Gerda Steyn makes history again as beer celebration caps seventh straight Two Oceans win

She ran in the Comrades Marathon in 2024, where she finished in the top five in the women’s race on debut. At the 2026 Two Oceans Marathon, she finished third, claiming the bronze medal in 3:38:34. She has also recorded multiple ultra podiums and top-10 finishes in South African road races, with a personal best marathon time of 2:43:15 set in 2019.

This year’s event was relatively incident-free, although another runner documented on social media how his car was reportedly robbed while he was participating in the race.

Athletics South Africa faces pressure from MPs

Briefly News previously reported that Athletics South Africa (ASA) is under mounting pressure over allegations of leadership chaos and weak financial controls.

MPs have accused ASA of lacking proper financial oversight and failing to maintain stability at the executive level.

Source: Briefly News