Tete Dijana and Gerda Steyn smash long-standing Comrades Marathon records
Durban — It was an unreal day of running at the Comrades Marathon this morning as records fell like flies being swatted with a heavily-folded newspaper.
Three new best times of the down run from Pietermaritzburg to Durban with both the men, women and men's Masters times improved in style inside the Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium as Tete Dijana, Gerda Syeyn and Wayne Spies all broke ‘unbreakable’ records.
Tete Dijana smashes the seven-year-old @ComradesRace record yo defend his title from last year in yet another podium clean sweep for @Nedbank_RC #ComradesMarathon2023 pic.twitter.com/iMm27UUmX2
— Matshelane Mamabolo (@Tshiliboy) June 11, 2023
And while this year’s race distance was a little shorter than when the previous times were set, such were the times these runners ran that they would have rewritten the record books even in the original distances.
Dijana smashed David Gatebe's seven-year-old down run record to smithereens as he defended the title he won last year.
The 35-year-old from Signal Hill Village in Mafikeng, North West clocked 5:13.58 to slice nearly six minutes off Gatebe's 5:18.19 from 2016.
Dijana beat off a strong challenge from his Nedbank Running Club international teammate Piet Wiersman, coming in a mere two seconds ahead of the Dutchman, who chased him at the finish line.
It was yet another Nedbank one-two-three just like last year, with 2019 champion and last year’s runner-up Edward Mothibi closing off the podium, also under the previous record.
There was also another record for coach Dave Adams' dominant 'Happy Bunch' as 50-year-old Spies lived up to his promise of breaking Vladimir Kotov's 5:48.12 from back in 2012 by running a 5:42.09.
But the biggest cheer of the morning was of course reserved for South Africa's road running darling Steyn who shattered Frith Van der Merwe's 5:54.43 by nearly 10 minutes.
Steyn crossed the finish line in 5:44.54, way ahead of Adele Broodryk who crossed the line some 12 minutes after Steyn.
IOL Sport