South African distance runner Irvette van Zyl broke the women's ultra marathon world record on Sunday during the Nedbank Runified 50km race in Gqeberha.
Van Zyl took three minutes off the previous mark held by Briton Aly Dixon, finishing in a time of 3:04:23.
She was followed home by Lilian Jepkorir Chemweno of Kenya with Dominika Stelmach of Poland.
The men's race also saw a new world record as Ethiopia's Ketema Negas stopped the clock at 2:42:07.
He beat the previous best of 2:43:20 set by Thompson Magawana 1988.
Jonas Makhele and Ntsindiso Mphakathi both of South Africa finished in second and third respectively.
Both Van Zyl and Negas won R100 000 for their victories as well as an extra R150 000 for breaking the respective world records.
Congratulations to our new world and African record-holders ?? Those times are ???? #NedbankRunified pic.twitter.com/sTq2tMqoPQ
— Nedbank Sport (@nedbanksport) May 23, 2021
The moment @irv87 and Ketema Negasa wrote their names in the history books ?? #NedbankRunified pic.twitter.com/zzpC1KjrWF
— Nedbank Sport (@nedbanksport) May 23, 2021