Comrades Marathon Association ‘proud’ of Sunday’s race
The Comrades Marathon Association says it's proud of the outcomes of Sunday’s down-run where records were broken.
Athlete Tete Dijana was the first man home at Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium bagging his second consecutive win.
The 35-year-old crossed the finish line in a record time of 5 hours 13 minutes and 58 seconds.
The women's race was won by South African Gerda Steyn who shattered Frith van der Merwe's 1989 record by ten minutes (05:44:54).
The CMA's Delaine Cools says it was a magical day for the 96th edition of the ultimate human race.
READ: Dijana, Steyn score South African double in Comrades
"I don't think it could've gone to two more deserving athletes, Tete Dijana breaking David Gatebe's 2016 best time of 5:18:19, Gerda Steyn, the people's darling, also breaking Frith van der Merwe's 1989's best time of 5.54.43."
Minister of Sports Zizi Kodwa was on hand to congratulate the winners.
"This has been the greatest sporting weekend in South Africa, both domestic and international. We are quite happy that our athletes, despite the two years of Covid restrictions, broke their records. One of them, Tete, broke his record and it makes us happy as well about the work they are doing because sport is back."
