The countdown clock is ticking like a stadium stopwatch and the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon is about to hit top gear with a classy elite field lining up alongside 24 000 participants.
Africa, home to the world’s best long-distance runners, deserves a race which celebrates their success and showcases their talent on home soil. Photo by Chris Hitchcock.
With 50 days to go, organisers have dropped the biggest bombshell yet: a field stacked with Africa’s fastest. That includes Gerda Steyn, the golden girl of South African ultra-distance running, ready to scorch the streets on 19 October.
SCTM Elite Field
“This year we’ve secured the best elite marathon field in the race’s history,” declared CEO Clark Gardner.
“Where London and New York vie to be the biggest, we believe Cape Town can be the best.”
And the start list looks like a sprint finish already:
- Ronald Korit (Kenya) – 2:04:22 PB
- Bethwel Chumba Kibet (Kenya) – 2:04:37 PB
- Elroy Gelant (SA record-holder) – 2:05:36 PB
- Boki Kebede Asefa (Ethiopia) – 2:05:40 PB
All are gunning for Abdisa Tola’s course record of 2:08:16.
On the women’s side, the Queen of South African road running, Gerda Steyn, is back.
“I’m so excited and so honoured to announce that I will be lining up,” she grinned.
“I can’t wait for 19 October to share the beautiful route with thousands of my fellow runners.”
But the crown won’t come easy. Chasing her down are Kenya’s Winfridah Moseti (2:16:56) and Angela Tanui (2:17:57), plus Ethiopia’s Mare Dibaba (2:19:59).
Glenrose Xaba, the South African and current course record holder of 2:22:22 will not not be back to defend her crown.
So, this year we will see a new women’s champion crowned.
Sanlam and adidas are also sprinting alongside the runners, with fundraising through GivenGain already hitting nearly R200,000, and adidas rewarding finishers in their shoes with a R2,000 voucher.
The official adidas Sanlam Cape Town Marathon race tee is an eye-catching orange, inspired by the proteas of Table Mountain. Photo by Mentz Germishuis.
Cape Town’s streets are about to become a runway of speed, sweat and history. The pack is set. The city is ready.
Let the countdown to glory begin.
Shadi Chauke (centre), Sanlam, and Tom Brown (right), adidas, discussing the 2025 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon. Photo by Sanlam.
