Comrades glory for security guard Tete Dijana

Security guard Tete Dijana managed a superb race to win the Comrades Marathon, in only his second attempt, on Sunday.

The Nedbank Running Club athlete, who finished 50th in the 2019 race, lived up to his pre-race promise that he would ace the 2022 ultra-marathon. 

A late bloomer in the sport due to a lack of opportunities in his hometown of Mahikeng in the North West, Dijana sent out a warning in March when he finished second in the Nedbank Runified 50km race behind Stephen Mokoka in Gqeberha.

And on Sunday morning, the 34-year-old went one further to win the “ultimate human race” with a run so compellingly calculated you could have sworn he was a seasoned competitor in the famed race.

Dijana took over the down-run lead just before the 45th Cutting entrance into Durban to leave 2019 champion Edward Mothibi in his wake and add his name to the long list of SA road-running legends to have won the famous ultra.

He reached the finish line in 5hr 30min 38sec, ahead of Mothibi (5:33:46). Teammate Joseph Manyedi completed the podium in third place (5:36:25) as SA runners claimed nine of the top 10 places.

“I don’t have any words. It took me three months to prepare for this marathon and I would like to thank coach Dave [Adams] for his help,” Dijana said.

“It means a lot to me. I have been through a lot because before the race something happened to me and I had to go to the psychologist.

“I went into camp for three months and I took unpaid leave.

“The race also belongs to Mahikeng because the last two winners are from there.”

Russian runner Alexandra Morozova won the women’s race ahead of her more fancied rivals.

Morozova, who went to court to keep her place in the race, came home at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium in 6:12:42 to improve on her previous two runner-up positions. She was followed home 12 min later by Dominika Stelmach (6:25:08) of Poland.

“It was amazing, it was a dream come true,” she said. “It was one of the most difficult marathons in my life. I’m happy with this achievement. It’s my turn to take it this year.”

Murray & Roberts’s Adele Broodryk was the first South African home, the novice runner clocking 6:26:34 for third place.

Broodryk, who was running in her first ultra-marathon, vowed to win in 2023 as she had struggled with race management in her first attempt. 

“It was such a privilege. I had such a nice race,” she said. “I went out a bit hard and that cost me ultimately. It’s my first one and the furthest distance I’ve done. I didn’t know how my body would react, so I’m ecstatic. Next year I’m coming for the win.”

Broodryk’s teammate, Jenna Challenor, making her down-run debut, had the spectators on their feet.

The Durbanite, who was sixth in the 2019 up-run, finished in fourth place (6:42:14) but not before giving the crowd a scare as her legs gave up on her in the tunnel.

She held on to the perimeter advertising railings and seemed to have rediscovered her energy. But she crumpled again and had to crawl to the finish to rapturous applause from the crowd.

On the eve of the race, Morozova won an urgent application at the Pietermaritzburg high court to be allowed to depart with the elite cluster, not from the back, as had been proposed by the Comrades Marathon Association.

This was after her last-minute “ban” by the association on the grounds that World Athletics had given instructions that Russian elite athletes who would win prize money were to be denied entry to its affiliated races.

Additional reporting by Athenkosi Tsotsi