Gerda Steyn triumphed at the Sunrise Monster 32km, showcasing top form ahead of the Two Oceans Marathon, with anticipation for the 2026 event increasing at just over a month away. Picture: Gerda Steyn/Facebook/SmacPix
Image: Gerda Steyn/Facebook/SmacPix
Gerda Steyn showed once again that she’s already in top form ahead of the Two Oceans Marathon next month, with an impressive victory at the Sunrise Monster 32km in Pretoria over the weekend.
Steyn completed the gruelling course in 2:06:56, which works out to a pace of 3:58 per km, which is similar to her goal speed at the 56km event in Cape Town.
In fact, Steyn beat out runner-up Puleng Khumalo by 16 minutes 27 seconds.
Granted Steyn will face stiffer competition at Two Oceans, it’s significant that she is in such good form over a month out from the big event.
Sunrise Monster conquered!! The problem with club races in South Africa is that the vibes are so good, you forget how tough they can be…” said Steyn after the race.
“I had an absolute blast at the @sunrise.monster today, which means next year I will probably fall in the same trap, but I wouldn’t want it any other way!!!”
Steyn will be gunning for her seventh title in a row at Two Oceans.
The prize money for 2026 has been increased by R130,000 to R380,000 for first place in the respective men’s and women’s races in the 56km event.
Since the Comrades Marathon is the pinnacle of ultramarathon running in South Africa, it offers significantly more money for the winners.
In 2025, Steyn collected a first-place prize of R874,000, while she also earned R550,000 for the best average pace in the women’s race, R220,000 as the first SA athlete home, and a handy R50,000 for reaching the Cell C Hot Spot first in the latter stages of the run.
If you add all that up, it totals a whopping R1 644,000.
Most people would quip ‘not bad for a day’s work’, when in actual fact the performances of Steyn have been built through years of dedication and hard work in training to reach this point. And in 2026, she will be rewarded even more handsomely if she keeps her winning streak going.