SuperSport to broadcast 2022 Comrades Marathon
For the first time in its 46 years of televised coverage,
the Comrades Marathon will be aired on SuperSport. The iconic ultramarathon is
set to take place on Sunday, 28 August 2022 after being cancelled for the past
two years.
National athletics federation, Athletics South Africa (ASA) made the announcement of the four-year partnership with SuperSport at a launch in Johannesburg recently.
According to the agreement reached, the Comrades Marathon broadcast will be available to SuperSport's continental subscriber base across all packages, ensuring inclusivity and widespread coverage.
On race day, SuperSport will be live from 05h00 as they build up to the Comrades start at 05h30. There will be a continuous live broadcast right up until the 12-hour cut off takes place at the Moses Mabhida Stadium at 17h30, when the SuperSport team will wrap up the day’s action and go off air at 18h00, making it a 13-hour live production.
The production team will employ the latest technology as they cover the elite men and women on the route, as well as the remaining top contenders.
In being inclusive and representing the whole field of Comrades athletes, some of the creative ideas include telling the wide variety of running stories on the day, not just that of the elite men’s and women’s races; as well as featuring iconic moments and places along the 90km Comrades route.
Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) Race Director, Rowyn James says, “We are very pleased to confirm that the Comrades Marathon will enjoy 13 hours of live television coverage on Sunday, 28 August 2022. We are grateful to Athletics South Africa for finalising this deal and ensuring that the Comrades Marathon and its sponsors get the requisite television airtime that the sport so greatly deserves.”
James adds, “SuperSport is known for its world class production quality and the CMA looks forward to the sports specific broadcaster delivering on that to further elevate the Comrades Marathon profile with a potentially new audience.”
“As the CMA, we are thrilled to be able to host the race after a two-year hiatus. Together with the Comrades race organising committee and all stakeholders, we are planning an incredible day of ultra-road running for our athletes.”
The 95th Comrades Marathon will be a Down Run on Sunday, 28 August 2022. The race starts at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall at 05h30 and ends 12 hours later at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, covering a 90,2km distance. This will be the 47th Down Run in Comrades history.
