Gerda Steyn happy to achieve target of seventh Two Oceans Ultra title in a row

South Africa’s ultra-marathon queen Gerda Steyn was in seventh heaven after securing her seventh straight Two Oceans Ultra title in Cape Town on Saturday morning.

The Hollywood Athletics Club ace breasted the tape at the University of Cape Town sports fields in a blistering time of 3:27:43 – the only runner in the top 10 to dip below the magical 3:30 mark after 56 gruelling kilometres.

Kenya’s Margaret Jepchumba finished second in a time of 3:33:31 with Nobhukhosi Tshuma third (3:38:41) in a top 10 dominated by foreign athletes who all crossed the line in under four hours. 

The 36-year-old Steyn produced a polished tactical performance. She pulled away from Jepchumba moments after going through the marathon mark in 2:34:34, eventually finishing more than six minutes ahead of the reigning Soweto Marathon champion.

The "Smiling Assassin" blew kisses to the crowd in her trademark celebration on her way to the second-fastest time of her Two Oceans Marathon career.

"To win a seventh consecutive Two Oceans in a row, so for that I'm very happy and I feel like I did what I set out to do," Steyn told media during the post-race press conference.

"I knew it would be a challenging race with a very strong women's field. I knew my competitors would be looking at how I won six in a row and try to find ways to challenge me. So I knew that what I set out do was not going to come easily and that's what it felt like today.

"There were so many ladies around until a very late stage in the race, so it was going through my mind the entire time that winning is my goal here and I need to do everything in my power to win this race, but I still needed to keep the pace at a high level because that was what it was going to take to win the race.   

“I didn’t break the record,  but I’m still happy with my race and am really happy with my time. It’s a completely successful day for me."

Arthur Jantjies, meanwhile, was a surprise winner of the men’s race in a time of 3:09:25. The Pan African Resources runner pipped former champion Onalenna Khonkhobe to the line with a late burst of speed in the final few few kilometres.

Nedbank Running Club star Khonkhobe had to settle for second (3:10:00), while Zimbabwean ultra-marathon debutant Blessing Waison (03:11:13) completed the podium.

“It’s a phenomenal step, a big step. It’s history,” said 25-year-old Jantjies from Hopetown, a small town 120km outside Kimberley. “I’m just a small-town boy winning Two Oceans. That’s something really special.”

After shaking off the attentions of Hollywood AC’s Tsepo Ramashamole just after the marathon mark, Waison was the first man to crest Constantia Nek. Khonkhobe, defending champion Joseph Seutloali and Jantjies gave chase. Waison was caught at 49km as the trio hurtled towards the finish with Khonkhobe making his move at the 51km mark.

Seutloali faded badly but Jantjies kept in touch with the 2024 champion and then surged away from him just before Chet’s Hill to claim a famous 35-second victory over his friend and rival.

“I know he (Khonkhobe) is faster than me, but in training we always pick up in the last 8km. I stayed close to him, and he gave up too quickly. Then I told myself I’m going to strike now,” Jantjies said.

Running in only his second ultra marathon after claiming sixth position at the 2025 City to City Marathon, Jantjies gave credit to his coach John Hamlett for putting him through a tough high- altitude training camp just after he joined the Pan African Resources Club at the beginning of the year.

“It was better for me to come through like a cannon ball. It’s the first major title for my town in the Northern Cape. Winning this race opens doors because it puts my name somewhere.”