Comrades Marathon champion George Kusche shines at Amsterdam Marathon

South Africa’s reigning Comrades Marathon champion George Kusche delivered a star performance at the Amsterdam Marathon on Sunday, setting a new personal best of 2:10:09 over the 42.2km distance.

The Nedbank Running Club athlete finished 26th overall after taking more than three minutes off his previous marathon best in another significant milestone in his road-running career.

Kusche, who has established himself as one of South Africa’s leading ultra-distance runners, showed his ability to compete over the marathon distance with an impressive display on the international stage.

George Kusche makes major marathon breakthrough

The 2:10:09 performance represents a substantial improvement for Kusche, who has built his reputation through his achievements in South African road running.

Although best known for his success in the 2026 Comrades Marathon, the 37-year-old’s latest result in Amsterdam highlights his progress over the shorter marathon distance.

His 26th-place finish provides a clear measure of his performance against the field, while the new time marks an important benchmark for his future marathon ambitions.

From Comrades Marathon glory to international marathon racing

Kusche’s success in this year’s Comrades Marathon has made him a prominent name in South African distance running.

He covered the 85.777km in a record-setting time of 5:15:56, setting a new ‘Up’ run record between Durban and Pietermaritzburg.

Meanwhile, Kusche was not the only South African to produce an impressive performance in Amsterdam.

Cwenga Nose, representing Phantane Athletics Club, made an outstanding marathon debut, clocking 2:09:35 to finish 23rd overall, breaking the 2:10 barrier on debut.

Lemi Berhanu (Ethiopia) won the men’s race with a time of 2:03:32, narrowly missing the course record. Nicholas Kipkorir (Kenya, 2:03:38) finished second, and Patrick Mosin (Kenya, 2:03:57) took third.