For the second year running, the Soweto Marathon decided to cancel its event due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Soweto Marathon Trust chairperson, Sello Khunou, said they felt for the runners that were looking to hit the streets of Soweto. He advised them not to stop training and to prepare themselves for next year. 

The Soweto Marathon has followed in the footsteps of the Two Oceans and Comrades Marathon that cancelled their events earlier this year.

Khunou said they decided to prioritise the safety of the runners instead of putting their lives at risk.

The event was supposed to take place at the FNB Stadium in Soweto on November 7.

In 2019, the race attracted a record 40,000 runners to the streets of Soweto and more numbers were expected this year.

Three years ago, the prize money for the male and female runners was R250,000, and it helped the elite runners to support their families.

Khonou said it was not worth the risk to go ahead with the race while Covid-19 is spreading at an alarming rate in the country. “We cannot take a chance of fielding all these runners and put their lives at risk,” said Khonou in a statement.

“The Soweto Marathon is much more than just a race. It is a celebration of our history, heritage and a reminder to participants that resilience, perseverance and commitment are key to success. We are going through difficult times, and the road is long.

"We thank our sponsors and partners who stood behind our decision wholeheartedly.  We will be bigger and better come 2022 when the glorious Soweto and her people would host our athletes once again.”