The Comrades champ who opened the door for others
The late Sam Tshabalala, the first black runner to win the Comrades Marathon, leaves a legacy
Long before it was a fashion statement, Sam
Tshabalala wore his cap backwards. It was a trademark look for the man from
Zamdela near Sasolburg, and one that became etched in
South African folklore on 31
May 1989.
And for a while, but especially on a cool KwaZulu-Natal morning in early winter 1989, the chasing field only had a view of his jaunty cap as he stormed to a Comrades win.
“I will never forget Sam during the 1989 Comrades Marathon when he passed me with his running cap, and he was wearing the cap with the flap at the back covering his neck,” former rival Nick Bester said.
“He went on to win the race as the first black athlete to do so. Willie Mtolo was in second place, Jean-Marc Bellocq third and I in fourth position.
“Sam also ran the Comrades Marathon again many years later after he survived a terrible motor accident. A true Comrades Marathon champion, he was always down to earth and humble.”
On 2 October, the 65-year-old Tshabalala collapsed and was declared dead on arrival at hospital. He leaves behind his wife of 45 years, Julia, seven children and 18 grandchildren. But he also leaves a legacy that inspired a generation.
Breaking barriers
The Comrades had become synonymous with Bruce Fordyce in the 1980s. But in his absence in 1989 the field was wide open.
Fordyce, the eight-time winner of the Comrades between 1981 and 1988, chose not to run the marathon in 1989. He was fatigued after running a 100km race in Stellenbosch in February and felt he wouldn’t be in condition to defend his title.
It threw the race wide open because in the previous 12 years there had only been three winners – Fordyce (eight), Alan Robb (three) and Piet Vorster.
Black athletes, as well as women of all colours, had only been allowed to run the Comrades from 1975. In that year, Vincent Rakabele finished 20th to become the first black athlete to win a Comrades medal.
Tshabalala, running in the colours of the Spectrum Athletic Club, was only participating in his third Comrades. His previous two attempts had been “up” runs. In 1989 it was a down run.
No one really knew who he was. The big stories leading into the 1989 race were Fordyce’s absence, the sensational form of leading women’s runner Frith van der Merwe, and 80-year-old Wally Hayward’s attempt to finish within the 11-hour cut-off time.
In the event, Van der Merwe shattered the women’s record, clocking 5:54.43. It was such a good time that she finished 15th overall. And Hayward, a five-time winner in his prime, collapsed over the line with 1:57 seconds to spare to create history as the oldest finisher. He is the only octogenarian to complete the Comrades Marathon.
In the immediate aftermath of those two stories, Tshabalala’s eventual win, which was so significant for so many reasons, was not as acclaimed as it might have been at the time.
But as the years have gone by, Tshabalala’s barrier-breaking run, which saw not only a black runner triumph, but also the classy Mtolo finish as runner-up, has earned its rightful place in history.
Cagey race
Some critics have said Tshabalala would not have won had Fordyce started, which rankled. “The year before, I had beaten Bruce in a race called the Milo Korkie from Pretoria to Germiston,” Tshabalala told IOL in an interview in 2019 to mark the 30th anniversary of winning the race.
“After that he [Fordyce] said to me, ‘You won’t beat me at Comrades’, but I had studied him and knew exactly what I had to do to win there. He did not come, but I can tell you I would have beaten him.” Fordyce, always a decent man, has never undermined Tshabalala’s feat. After hearing of Tshabalala’s death, Fordyce was one of the first to express condolences and the first to defend his performance.
“I wasn’t there [in 1989] and Sam did enough to win [by four minutes],” Fordyce told DM168. “In 1989 he beat Willie Mtolo into second place. Willie would go on to win the New York Marathon. Also, Sam would probably have won more Comrades Marathons, but he suffered brain injuries in a bad motor accident in 1991.
“We raced each other again in 1990. But Sam had badly overtrained (in my opinion) ... to defend his title. He finished 13th. Early in the 1991 season he was looking very good. But then he had his accident.”
In the 1989 race, Tshabalala, and all of the men’s field, were almost unnoticed until midway through the race because of Van der Merwe’s stunning pace in the women’s competition.
But attention gradually shifted to the front of the race where a battle was emerging. The Comrades archives recall the race thus: “It was a cat-and-mouse game for most of the way, with the lead being shared by many over the first half of the race.
“The initial breakaway occurred on the drop-down of Field’s Hill. [Shaun] Meiklejohn managed to work his way clear of the thinly spread lead group, to head the procession through Pinetown.
“It proved to be a short-lived lead. Tshabalala slipped past Meiklejohn on the lower slope of Cowies Hill. He was soon joined by Mtolo as Meiklejohn tired and fell back. Jean-Marc Bellocq ... was at this late stage moving ominously through the field.
“Up front, over the rolling hills into Durban, Tshabalala and Mtolo swapped the lead frequently. It was ... anyone’s race. Mtolo, a local man, was the crowd favourite ... The smooth-striding Mtolo was impeded on numerous occasions by excited spectators. Whether this was a hindrance or not is unknown, but on Berea Road, just 2km from the finish, he was reduced to walking ... as a cramp bit into his calf muscles.
“Tshabalala did not need a second invitation.”
Great race, great friends
Mtolo, who was closer than anyone to history that day, still recalls it fondly, even though he missed out on winning the prestigious ultramarathon.
“We ... remained very good friends since then,” Mtolo said. “He was involved in assisting youngsters in his village with their running. That was Sam for you – helpful, encouraging, motivating and a true inspiration. I will always remember him.”
So will we all. Hamba kahle, Sam. DM168