Records tumbled, breaking new ground at the highly anticipated Comrades Marathon 2023. Tete Dijana, from North West Province, successfully defended his title in the gruelling 87.701km race from Pietermaritzburg to Durban.
Dijana surged ahead from the 15km mark and crossed the finish line at Kingsmead in 5 hours, 14 minutes, and 1 second. Not only did he claim victory, but he also shattered the previous record set by David Gatebe in 2016 by nearly four minutes.
Dijana's remarkable achievement earned him R1.2 million in prize money. He received R500,000 for his first-place finish, an additional R500,000 for breaking the previous record, and R200,000 for being the first South African runner to complete the race.
His dominance and exceptional performance solidified his true Comrades Marathon champion status.
The race initially saw Ayanda Ngcobo taking the early lead and maintaining it until the halfway mark in Drummond. However, Ngcobo's fast pace proved unsustainable, and he soon fell behind, ultimately giving up and walking.
Jo Fukuda from Japan, sporting vibrant blue hair, made a surprising move and took the lead ahead of Aleksei Beresnev from Russia, who was in sixth place at Drummond. Despite their efforts, Fukuda and Beresnev struggled to keep up with the intense pace.
The Nedbank team, consisting of Dijana, 2019 champion Edward Mothibi, Joseph Manyedi, and Dutchman Pieter Wiersma, capitalized on the opportunity and overtook Fukuda and Beresnev.
The group worked together for a while, but Dijana made a decisive move, showcasing his endurance and determination.
He surged ahead, still looking remarkably fresh, and maintained his lead until the end. However, Wiersma's strong finish was noteworthy, as he crossed the line just seven seconds behind Dijana, with a time of 5 hours, 14 minutes, and 8 seconds.
Mothibi, also from the North West Province, secured the third-place position with 5 hours, 17 minutes, and 34 seconds.
In the women's race, Gerda Steyn, an Olympic athlete, performed outstandingly, dominating most of the competition. Steyn comfortably cruised to victory, setting a new course record of 5 hours, 44 minutes, and 54 seconds.
Her achievement earned her the women's title and a prize of R500,000. Adele Broodryk from North West claimed the second position in the women's race, demonstrating her remarkable abilities.
