Agonising wait for Eswatini marathoners

MBABANE — Across Eswatini today, phone screens are being refreshed with a nervous intensity usually reserved for the final kilometres of a gruelling 90-kilometre journey.

It is officially Ballot Draw Day for the historic 100th edition of the Comrades Marathon, set for June 13, 2027. Every year, no fewer than 50 emaSwati athletes make the annual pilgrimage to KwaZulu-Natal to tackle ‘The Ultimate Human Race’. Their immediate obstacle is a random computer algorithm.

Notifications are beginning to roll out from the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) following an astonishing wave of interest. “We are astounded, humbled and incredibly grateful to have received an overwhelming 42 802 General Ballot applications for the historic 100th edition of the Comrades Marathon,” the CMA shared in a statement.

However, behind those staggering numbers lies stark mathematical heartbreak. From the 42 802 applications, only 28 000 places are up for grabs. Approximately 14 802 runners might miss out.

This high-stakes lottery was introduced after the traditional first-come, first-served online registration system buckled under pressure, creating digital queues of over 40 000 people. Race Director Sue Forge confirmed that expanding the entry field beyond 28 000 was off the table due to strict route safety protocols and fixed daylight constraints.

For Eswatini runners, the transition from open registration to a high-demand ballot has turned months of early-morning road work into a high-anxiety waiting game. Yet, local athletics coaches are urging athletes to keep their eyes on the bigger picture.

In a recent interview with this publication, Zithande Athletics Club Coach Nsizwa Thwala appealed to local runners to remain calm and focused, regardless of whether their phone chimes with good news today.

“I have trained like a Comrades marathoner for 14 years, securing six medals from the same number of starts,” Thwala noted. “Training for this race fundamentally changes your lifestyle for the better, instilling healthy habits that benefit you for a lifetime. That personal transformation is the true victory.”

Thwala also reminded anxious emaSwati that a red notification today does not automatically mean the end of the road for the centenary race. A substitution window will open at a later stage, providing a second lifeline for dedicated runners to acquire entries from those unable to start.

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