Grace de Oliveira retires after unforgettable 43-year running career

The veteran long-distance runner brought the curtain down on her career at the Spar Women's 10km Challenge in Durban at the weekend, where she made her final appearance as an elite athlete in the colours of Elite Running Club.

De Oliveira leaves behind one of the most remarkable records in South African road running. 

She competed in a record 114 Spar Women's 10km Challenge races, making her the athlete with the most appearances in the history of the series.

Her outstanding achievements include seven Comrades Marathon gold medals, 10 Two Oceans Marathon gold medals, four appearances for South Africa at the World Half Marathon Championships, and represented the country in the marathon at the 1997 World Championships in Athens.

"I will still keep on running to keep fit and to lead a healthy lifestyle, but no more competitive races for me. I'm soon to be 65, and so this is the right time for me to retire from competitive running. For every athlete there comes a time when you need to retire and I decided this was a good year to do it."

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After missing the Cape Town leg of the Spar Women's 10km Challenge in March, De Oliveira decided to wait for the Durban race to make her retirement announcement in front of her family, friends and supporters who have shared her journey over the years.

The decorated athlete says her body can no longer cope with the demands of elite competition, but she is looking forward to giving back to the sport as a mentor and Spar race ambassador.

Reflecting on her career, De Oliveira says one of her proudest moments was finishing second in the 1999 Comrades Marathon, a performance that remains one of the highlights of her life in athletics.