Dijana, Steyn Dominate Comrades Marathon Amid Rising Rivalries

(The Post News)– Tete Dijana claimed his third Comrades Marathon title on Sunday, edging out long-time rival Piet Wiersma in a tightly contested men’s race. Gerda Steyn, meanwhile, cruised to a fourth win in the women’s category, further cementing her place as the Queen of the Comrades.

In what’s fast becoming a classic sporting rivalry, Dijana and Wiersma once again battled it out over the 87km stretch from Pietermaritzburg to Durban. The South African runner finished in 5:25:28, five seconds ahead of the Dutch athlete, who was just three seconds behind Dijana in 2023.

Dijana revealed that he struggled in the early stages of the race due to poor rest the night before, likely caused by nerves. However, he regained control in the latter part of the course, saying his victory was a result of learning from past missteps, particularly his disappointing 14th-place finish in 2024, which he attributed to cramping.

“When I saw Wiersma gaining on me in the final stretch, I made a push to increase the gap,” he said. “I stayed composed and knew I had it under control.”

Wiersma acknowledged their growing rivalry and confirmed he’ll be back in 2028 to try again. The 27-year-old said despite his improved training and full-time commitment to the sport, he wasn’t at his best due to lack of sleep and possible food poisoning. Still, he graciously praised Dijana’s performance: “Tete deserved the win today. He’s the king of the down-run for now, but I aim to rule the up-run next year.”

Russia’s Nikolai Volkov finished third, while South Africans Edward Mothibi and Joseph Manyedi rounded out the top five.

In the women’s race, defending champion Gerda Steyn was unstoppable, finishing in 5:51:19. Alexandra Morozova of Russia followed in second, nearly five minutes behind, while Kenya’s Shelmith Muruiki made history by becoming the first black woman to finish on the Comrades podium. Olympian Irvette van Zyl impressed in her debut, taking fourth.

Steyn, moved by the crowd’s support, said the atmosphere left her speechless. She hopes her performance inspires young girls to pursue running, regardless of whether they become professionals. “It was a fantastic race that went exactly to plan,” she added. “I’m especially pleased to have improved on my pace from two years ago.”

This year’s edition saw around 22,000 runners participate, split into elite and general starting groups. The build-up to the 2027 centenary race is already underway, with anticipation growing for the biggest start line in Comrades history.