• A total of 42,802 runners applied for 14,519 general Comrades places, leaving 28,283 without an entry.

• Unsuccessful runners stay in the ballot and could get places through redraws or next year's substitution process.

More than half the runners who applied for a place in the 2027 Comrades Marathon have missed out.

The Comrades Marathon Association confirmed that 42,802 people entered the general ballot for just 14,519 available places.

That left 28,283 runners without an entry.

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Another 13,481 runners had already secured places through separate entry periods for CMA members, runners with at least nine finishes and charity entrants.

A record 28,000 runners will take part in the 100th Comrades Marathon.

But those who missed out still have two more chances.

The first comes if successful runners do not complete their payments on Friday and Saturday.

Those places will go back into the ballot and be offered through redraws.

Unsuccessful applicants do not need to apply again. They will automatically remain in the draw.

Race director Sue Forge urged disappointed runners not to lose hope.

"Any places arising from unsuccessful or incomplete payments will be returned to the ballot pool and allocated through a series of redraws," she said, The Citizen reported.

Another opportunity will come next year through the withdrawal and substitution process.

Runners who decide not to take part will be able to make their entries available to others.

"This is an exciting and emotional time for our running community," Forge said.

"While many applicants will be celebrating, others will understandably be disappointed or anxious about the outcome."

The 2027 Comrades will be a down run from Pietermaritzburg to Durban on 13 June.