AN array of top South African ultra distance runners, including former winners Fusi Nhlapo, Sipho Ngomane and Andrew Kelehe, will compete in this year's Comrades Marathon.

AN array of top South African ultra distance runners, including former winners Fusi Nhlapo, Sipho Ngomane and Andrew Kelehe, will compete in this year's Comrades Marathon.

Hopefully they will end the dominance of the foreign runners.

They will be among the 23565 runners who have already registered to take part in this year's Comrades, which will take place on May 30 to accommodate the 2010 Fifa World Cup, which kicks off on June 11.

Nhlapo expects tough competition, "but we are ready to ensure the title does not leave our shores".

This year's field is the second largest in the history of this internationally renowned ultra marathon. About 25000 runners competed in 2000.

Race director Johan van Staden announced that the cutoff date is April 26. He also said there was a slight change to the exit route from Pietermaritzburg.