South African ultra-marathon star, Ryan Sandes, has won one of the world's toughest races — The Jungle Marathon in the Amazon Jungle in Brazil.

Sandes, one of South Africas top ultra runners, won the grueling event in 26 hours and 33 minutes, taking the course record for the fastest time since the race began.

Second place went to Salvador Redondo from Spain and Mike Wolff from the United States took third place.

Sandes became an overnight running sensation after winning the multi-stage race across the Gobi desert in China last year. It was the first time Sandes has entered such an event and he blew the rest of the field away after winning every stage.

The Capetonian followed his maiden victory up with another clean sweep in the Sahara Desert race in Egypt later in 2008.

Sandes was unable to repeat a clean sweep in the Amazon, but after winning the first three stages in the six-stage event, he still stormed to a comprehensive victory.