Bruce Fordyce wore a black armband 40 years ago when he won his first Comrades
31 May 2021 9:13 AM
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He was protesting the apartheid regime s plan to associate the event with 20th anniversary of South Africa becoming a republic.
South African 9-times Comrades Marathon winner says in 1981 he knew he had a good chance of it being his first win.
The National Party decided to include the Comrades marathon as part of a series of events to celebrate what was then the 20th Republic Day on 31 May 1981.
Fordyce says he wanted to run that year but also show his dissatisfaction, and so decided, along with a number of other participants, to wear a black armband.
Comrades Marathon runners would have loved a run out on its 100th anniversary this year but those closely associated the nearly 90km road race between Durban and Pietermaritzburg are optimistic about it happening in 2022
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NATIONAL NEWS - The 1921 Comrades Marathon Tribute Run saw 21 former winners of the famous race participate in a symbolic re-enactment of the first race, which had 34 starters take off from the Pietermaritzburg City Hall 100 years ago yesterday.
The marathon winners who participated in yesterday’s 2.2km run included Bruce Fordyce, Alan Robb, Tilda Tearle, Rae Bisschoff, Charne Bosmanand Kim Paine and were led by a vintage Studebaker.
Blanche Moila, the first black woman to be awarded Springbok colours, in 1984, was elated to be a guest at the Comrades Marathon centenary celebrations.
“The Comrades Marathon was undoubtedly the greatest ultra-marathon in the world.
As part of the Comrades Marathon centenary celebration, Msunduzi Municipality has announced its plans to rename Connaught Road in Pietermaritzburg to Comrades Marathon Road.
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