In 19 days, more than 500 athletes from South Africa and around the world will aspire to be inducted into the Comrades Marathon Green Number Club. Since 1921, a total of 12,839 runners have completed the epic ultramarathon more than ten times each, thus earning their place on the coveted Comrades Green Number Roll of Honour.

Traditionally runners retain their race numbers from year to year, while after completing 10 Comrades Marathons, the runner is awarded his/her Green Number in perpetuity, meaning that it is henceforth reserved for its owner. It is also possible to earn a Green Number with either 3 Comrades wins or 5 Comrades gold medals.

The record for the most Comrades Marathon finishes is jointly held by Louis Massyn and Barry Holland who have completed 46; and Kleintjie Van Schalkwyk who has completed 34, considering that women were not allowed to participate prior to 1975.

Going for Green (Running Their 10th Comrades)

Gender Finishes Number
South Africa Male 9 411
South Africa Female 9 84
International Male 9 9
International Female 9 1
Rest of Africa Male 9 4
Rest of Africa Female 9 1

 

Going for Double Green (Running Their 20th Comrades)

Gender Finishes Number Name Country
Rest of Africa Male 19 1 Joe Absai Namibia
International Male 19 1 Andrea Brunold Switzerland
 

South Africa

Male 19 101
South Africa Female 19 13

 

Going for Triple Green (Running Their 30th Comrades)

Males

First Name Last Name Gender Finishes
Bradley Oakley-Brown Male 29
Dirk Brink Male 29
Edmund Mngadi Male 29
Faizel Shaikjee Male 29
Floors Welthagen Male 29
Fred Macdougall Male 29
Hilton Galleid Male 29
Isaac Mabula Male 29
Jan Coetzee Male 29
John Grobbelaar Male 29
Koos Coetzee Male 29
Leon Van Moerkerken Male 29
Magavishnu Nair Male 29
Moses Mapaila Male 29
Naresh Devnund Male 29
Paul Mokwena Male 29
Roger Buck Male 29
Ronald Dribbin Male 29
Shane Hinchliffe Male 29
Shaun Meiklejohn Male 29
Video Murray Male 29
Vitalis Poli Male 29
Zakiel Masha Male 29
Zwelakhe Richard Nxumalo Male 29

 

Going for Triple Green (Running Their 30th Comrades)

Females

First Name Last Name   Gender Finishes
Kim Pain Female 29
Pat Freeman Female 29

 

2019 Quadruple Green Number Runners

First Name Last Name Gender Finishes
Barry Holland Male 46
Louis Massyn Male 46
Alan Robb Male 42
Vic Boston Male 42
David Williams Male 41
Mike Cowling Male 41
Wietsche Van Der Westhuizen Male 41
Zwelitsha Gono Male 41

 

There are only 17 Comrades Quadruple Green Number Holders in the history of the Comrades Marathon:

First Name Last Name Race Number Finishes
Barry Holland 916 46
Louis Massyn 403 46
Dave Rogers 183 45
Alan Robb 1704 42
Clive Crawley 1 42
Dave Lowe 1702 42
Vic Boston 3111 42
David Williams 5178 41
Mike Cowling 7296 41
Tommy Neitski 1689 41
Wietsche Van Der Westhuizen 4192 41
Zwelitsha Gono 1180 41
Kenny Craig 145 40
Riel Hugo 1221 40
Shaun Wood 4286 40
Johann Van Eeden 1691 40
Boysie Van Staden 2516 40

 

Note: The 2019 Comrades Marathon will be held on Sunday, 9 June 2019, starting at the Durban City Hall at 5h30 and finishing 12 hours later at the Scottsville Racecourse in Pietermaritzburg. This will be the 48th Up Run.

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