Samuel, Frith and Wally make history

May 31 1989 — Samuel Tshabalala becomes the first black winner of the Comrades Marathon, Frith van der Merwe the first woman to break the 6-hour barrier and Wally Hayward completes his last Comrades 40 days short of his 81st birthday. With Bruce Fordyce, winner of the previous eight races (and again in 1990), opting not to participate, there was no clear favourite in the men’s race. Starting in a chilly Pietermaritzburg, it was a cat-and-mouse game in the first half with the lead being shared by many. Tshabalala surged ahead down Cowies Hill, followed by Willie Mtolo. They swapped the lead frequently through the Durban streets. Mtolo, the local crowd favourite, was impeded by excited spectators on numerous occasions. On Berea Road, 2km from the finish, he was reduced to occasional walking due to cramps in his calf muscles. Tshabalala wins in 5:35:51, ahead of Mtolo’s 5:39:59. Defending champion Van der Merwe (she also wins in 1991) finishes 15th overall in 5:54:43 (smashing the women’s down record by 51 minutes and 52 seconds, still the record), an hour ahead of second-placed Valerie Bleazard (6:56:08). A deafening roar erupts around Kingsmead Stadium one minute and 57 seconds before the final, 11-hour, gun is fired when five-time winner (1930, ’50, ’51, 53 and ’54) Hayward crosses the finish line.