The first black athlete to win the Comrades Marathon, Samuel Tshabalala, has died.
Tshabalala, who was 65 at the time of his death on Sunday, made history when he won the marathon in 1989. Confirming the shocking news Delaine Cools, Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) spokesperson, said Tshabalala was an exceptional human being.
CMA chairperson Mqondisi Ngcobo said the runner was a legend of the sport. “We live in gratitude to a Comrades winner, hero and legend,” said Ngcobo.
“What Mr Tshabalala did for ultra-running and our generation of athletes is part and parcel of our road-running history and great South African heritage. He showed us how to be courageous, great and at the same time humble and real.”
He added that Tshabalala was a trailblazer and pioneer, someone who lived out the noble attributes of the “ultimate human race” by his determined nature.
“He will be sadly missed by the Comrades community and everyone who knew him.”
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here the latest breaking news in South Africa. To Subscribe to Sunday World, click here.
