Namibians Fly the Flag At 2025 Comrades Ultra Marathon

Namibia celebrated a strong showing at the 2025 Comrades Ultra Marathon in South Africa this past weekend, with 76 runners crossing the finish line at the world’s oldest

and most prestigious ultra-distance road race.

Leading the charge was the seven-member Performance Movement team, whose standout performances highlighted Namibia’s growing presence on the global

endurance stage.

Veteran ultra-marathoner Harold ‘Bolla’ Akwenye ran his third Comrades in a steady,

tactical fashion. His time of 8 hours and 50 minutes earned him the Bill Rowan medal,

awarded to those finishing between 7h30 and 9 hours.

Three team members made their Comrades debut this year, each finishing with pride:

Anthony Hearlen clocked an impressive 8h33 minutes, narrowly missing a silver medal

and positioning himself as one to watch in future races.

Jeremia Lemegius ran a commendable 9h50 minutes, showing solid form in his first

attempt. James Haludilu, representing Shandumbala, completed the race in 10h27

minutes, a remarkable feat and a boost for grassroots running initiatives.

Among the team’s biggest success stories was Fernando ‘Daks’ Mandumbwa, who

significantly improved his 2024 performance to earn his first Bill Rowan medal–a

breakthrough in his Comrades journey. Also celebrating was Bok Mike Keib, who

secured his back-to-back medal, marking consistent progress in the ultra-marathon

world.

Long-time runner Frans Amakali completed his fifth Comrades, an elite milestone.

Though he narrowly missed his goal of a silver medal (sub-7h30), his persistence

continues to inspire younger runners across Namibia.

Elsewhere in the Namibian contingent, runners from Swakopmund Striders, Windhoek