No drama this year as 116 Russians line up for 2023 Comrades Marathon

One of the stories of the 2022 Comrades Marathon - it was the first race since the Covid-19 pandemic - centred around Russian runner Alexandra Morozova, who filed an urgent application on the eve of the race overturning a decision from the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) that had banned her from competing. 

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The CMA had acted on its interpretation of an instruction from World Athletics, it said, based on Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 

Remarkably, Morozova went on to win the 2022 edition. 

The CMA is far clearer this time around, though, and there will be a total of 116 Russian athletes - including Morozova - lining up for the 2023 Comrades in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday. 

"World Athletics put out a communique roughly about a month and a half ago saying that athletes from Russia are allowed to participate in athletics again," said race director Rowyn James. 

"If it's a World Athletics sanctioned event, there are still specific criteria in place that they need to adhere to. But Comrades Marathon is not a World Athletics-accredited event, and the reason for that is it is not a World Athletics-recognised distance.

"The rule pertaining to Russian participation does not apply to Comrades Marathon."

In total, 78 men and 38 women from Russia will be running on Sunday, and Morozova said she was thrilled to have the backing of race organsiers this time around. 

"I'm very happy to be here," she said. 

"This year has been much easier. It was a long way to get here - four planes - but I am relaxed.".

India, meanwhile, have the most runners from a visiting country with 403. 

Sunday's Comrades starts at 05:30.