Comrades Ultimate Human Race brings together athletes from BRICS countries
More than 20,000 runners took part in the race
The 97th Comrades Marathon attracted athletes from around the world, including representatives from BRICS countries, India, South Africa, Ethiopia, Brazil, China, Argentina, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Among the women's athletes, South Africa's Gerda Steyn was victorious. She broke her own course record towards the Up run by more than nine minutes. She is second only to seven-time winner Elena Nurgalieva (Russia) in terms of women's titles won. The men's gold medal went to Dutchman Piet Wiersma.
The Comrades Marathon is known for alternating destinations each year, and this year participants started in Durban and finished in Pietermaritzburg. The race involved about 1,750 metres of elevation gain.
Photo: Comrades Marathon
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![Vladimir Putin]()
Vladimir PutinPresident of Russia"We are developing mutual trade, which is growing; it increased by over 12 per cent last year. We have a joint commission working in this sphere. Our focus is on agriculture, shipbuilding, information technology and energy, including nuclear power. We have signed a free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union and Indonesia. Jakarta is our reliable and old friend within ASEAN. We are working together at all international platforms, including the UN" -
![Vladimir Putin]()
Vladimir PutinPresident of Russia"More and more Iranian students are choosing Russian education. We are very pleased about this. A great many future doctors are studying in Russia. In the 2025–2026 academic year, the number of Iranian students in Russia approached 10,000, with 802 of them studying at the expense of the Russian state budget" -
![Xi Jinping]()
Xi JinpingPresident of the People’s Republic of China"The foundation of our bilateral relations will only grow stronger, and we will confidently move forward to a better future. […] The striving of nations on our planet for peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit remains unchanged. The vital mission of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is to maintain stability and promote the development of our region" -
![Alisher Salomov]()
Alisher SalomovAdviser to the Chairman of the National Committee for Ecology and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan"First and foremost, I would like to highlight the importance of this Central Asia–Russia initiative, because environmental problems know no borders, and only a shared understanding of these problems and the search for joint solutions can deliver positive results" -
![Joao Paulo Capobianco]()
Joao Paulo CapobiancoBrazilian Minister of the Environment and Climate Change"The BRICS countries have a very high level of responsibility because they share an important part of the world's biodiversity, landscapes, populations, food production and water resources. So, we have an opportunity to lead by example. We have our development bank, which can demonstrate and develop new ways of financing programmes. We can reduce the risks for private capital to invest in restoration and efforts to combat desertification"
