July 26, 2023

S2|E16 - Unleashing "The Unknown Dutchman": How Piet Wiersma stunned the South African Running World with his iconic Novice Comrades Podium Finish

1 hour 10 minutes

On the 11th of June 2023 the annual Comrades Marathon, South Africa's oldest ultra-endurance event, was stunned by a performance for the ages by an unknown Dutch runner - Piet Wiersma.

The 25-year-old racing his Novice Comrades, as an unsponsored athlete, completed the 88km race in a staggering time of 5 hours and 14 minutes (over 4 minutes faster than the previous record) in what was an iconic battle for the win between himself, raining 'down-run' champion and race day favourite, Tete Dijana, and previous winner Edward Mothibi.

The Unknown Dutchman finished in an agonising second place as he watched winner, Tete, cross the finish line a mere 3 seconds ahead. One of the closest finishes ever recorded at the Comrades Marathon.

How did he do this? Where did he come from? Was this a flash in the pan or are we looking at a future winner in the making? These were all questions that made their rounds in South African running circles. In this episode we had the pleasure of gaining insights from "the Unknown Dutchman" himself which left us feeling equally astonished and excited for what's to come from this young athlete.

Piet's journey is filled with remarkable twists and turns. Discover how he transitioned from track and field athletics to long-distance running, finding success in ultra-distance trail running before redirecting his focus to road races amid the pandemic.

Uncover the powerful mindset that guided him through the gruelling 100k World Championships in 2022 (finishing 3rd), where psychological tactics, limited support, and strategic discussions played crucial roles.

We chat deeply about his ultra-distance training, his 100km World Record attempt, which he ran just months before Comrades, and how he only started his hill training a month out of the race - crazy right?

Hear about the decisive Comrades Moments, including missed bottles, bold downhill moves, team tactics and the essential adaptations he had to make to his race-day nutrition.

In closing we dive into the pressures of elite racing, the value of teamwork and his dream to come back to win the Comrades Marathon.

As Piet's remarkable journey continues to inspire and captivate both runners and enthusiasts alike, you don't want to miss this incredible conversation with a true running trailblazer!"

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By Nic Acampora

11 ratings