CAPE TOWN, April 13 (Xinhua) -- The 2024 Two Oceans Marathon was held on Saturday in Cape Town, South Africa, attracting tens of thousands of athletes and sports enthusiasts from across the globe.

Approximately 14,000 runners took the start of the ultra marathon on Saturday morning, while around 18,000 athletes will take on Sunday's half marathon.

South Africa's Gerda Steyn claimed her fifth successive victory in the 56-kilometer ultra marathon with a new women's record time of 3:26:54, beating her time of 3:29:05 set in 2023.

Her compatriot Onalenna Khonkhobe became the first South African since 2019 to win the men's race. The 28-year-old, who finished sixth on his debut last year, claimed this year's men's title with a finishing time of 3:09:30.

The Two Oceans Marathon, which is run against a backdrop of spectacular scenery through the Cape Peninsula, has earned a reputation as "the world's most beautiful marathon."

The first race was held in 1970 and saw 26 runners line up to face the unknown challenge. Since then, the race has become a national institution and a firm favorite with domestic and international athletes. ■