Elroy Galant’s remarkable South African record in the Hamburg Marathon not only lowered a mark that had stood for 26 years, but ensured he sits on top of a pile of athletes who have showed the world their road-running class over the decades.
He is the 16th South African to run under 2:10. The list of those 16 marathoners is:
2:05:36 Elroy Galant (Hamburg) 2025
2:06:33 Gert Thys (Tokyo) 1999
2:06:55 Hendrik Ramaala (London) 2006
2:07:06 Ian Syster (Fukuoka) 2002
2:07:28 Josia Thugwane (Fukuoka) 1997
2:07:40 Stephen Mokoka (Shanghai) 2015
2:08:04 Zithulele Sinqe (Port Elizabeth) 1986
2:08:07 David Tsebe (Berlin) 1992
2:08:15 Willie Mtolo (Port Elizabeth) 1986
2:08:32 Lusapho April (Hannover) 2013
2:08:58 Mark Plaatjies (Port Elizabeth) 1985
2:09:10 Lawrence Peu (London) 1997
2:09:13 Pheeha Mokgobo (Valencia) 2020
2:09:24 Melikhaya Frans (Eugene) 2022
2:09:36 Andries Khulu (Berlin) 1997
2:09:54 Ezael Thlobo (Praha) 1998
