Just eleven runners will line up at the 2026 Totalsports Two Oceans Ultra Marathon with the opportunity to achieve one of South African road running’s rarest milestones — entry into the prestigious Triple Blue Number Club.
The club recognises athletes who have completed 30 Totalsports Two Oceans Ultra Marathons, placing them among an elite group defined by decades of endurance, discipline and commitment. To date, only 98 runners — 95 men and three women — have reached this remarkable achievement.
This year, Robert Button, Lawrence Ashworth, David Beard, Denzil Abrahams, Ravi Govender, Christiaan Steyn, Arthur Valasis, Deon Pienaar, Mark Carlson, Curtis Rajoo and Kim Pain will attempt to join the exclusive ranks.
For many runners, the journey to Triple Blue represents far more than race results. Curtis Rajoo, who first ran the Ultra Marathon in 1995 at just 22 years old, describes the event as deeply personal. “Reaching 30 is big for me. It was always a goal. After so many years, I can’t imagine not running Two Oceans,” he said.
Johannesburg runner Ravi Govender says the annual trip to Cape Town has become a lifelong tradition built around friendship and shared perseverance. “It’s the people and that feeling of crossing the line — when you’ve conquered the mountains and conquered yourself,” he explained.
For Celtic Harriers athlete Denzil Abrahams, the milestone carries emotional significance linked to family, faith and personal reflection following the loss of his father in the same year he completed his first Ultra Marathon. Supported throughout his journey by his wife Debbie, Abrahams now returns with unfinished business after missing qualification in 2025.
Kim Pain stands out as the only woman attempting her 30th Ultra Marathon this year — a testament to exceptional consistency and long-term dedication in one of the world’s toughest endurance races.
Chris Goldschmidt, Chairperson of the Two Oceans Marathon NPC, praised the athletes’ achievement, noting that completing 30 Ultras represents “a rare mark of durability and commitment” that embodies the spirit of the race.
The Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon remains one of South Africa’s most iconic sporting events, celebrated globally for both its demanding course and its powerful sense of community — where perseverance, legacy and personal triumph meet on the same start line.
