Maclean to pay for own Comrades travel costs

By Charles Baloyi
19th May 2023

Nine-time Comrades Marathon gold medallist Yolande Maclean must dig deep into her own pockets to pay for accommodation and travel costs to Kwa-Zulu Natal.

South Africa’s construction company Murray & Roberts will no longer operate as an elite running club from June due to financial constraints.

Maclean has been part of the club since its formation in 2019, but she and other Comrades runners from her running must make a plan to get to Durban. This year’s 87km down-run will start at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall and finish at Kingsmead Stadium in Durban on Sunday, 11 June. Maclean missed the Two Oceans Ultra-Marathon in Cape Town in April because she could not afford to pay for travel costs and is under deep stress.

"Unfortunately our club Murray & Roberts had to crunch down, they couldn't pay for our flights to go down. To go to Cape Town out of your own pocket is quite expensive, so that's the reason why I didn't go, I'd rather just then focus on Comrades. They will no longer be an elite club after June, they are still looking after us until Comrades, but we still need to get to Comrades out of our own pocket, which is quite stressful", she told SABC Sport.

Maclean will use the Comrades to audition for a new club, but her biggest wish is to find a new home before the race in a few weeks and run in their colours.

"It must happen now before Comrades. You're looking for a new sponsor, if you get a new sponsor now you run in the new sponsor's kit. But for now, I'm still running in my Murray & Roberts kit, because they are looking after us until the end of June, meaning they are only paying our retainer till then.”