The Chairperson of the SA Comrades Marathon Association Mqondisi Ngcobo says, the 2023 ultra-marathon was a huge success. Ngcobo was speaking at the champions price giving ceremony in Durban earlier today.

Over 17 000 athletes participated in the 87.7 km race from Pietermaritzburg to Durban yesterday.

A South African Tete Dijana, successfully defended his title and broke the men’s down run record finishing in 5 hours 13 minutes and 58 seconds. Gerda Steyn, also a SA, won in the women’s race.

Ngcobo said South Africans have much to celebrate because, for the first time, they had the highest number of international runners participating and South Africans leading in the race.

Meanwhile, a local athlete Teboho Sello finished the race in the seventh position and was awarded M35 000.

Other local athletes, Mabuthile Lebopo, his younger brother Warinyane, Lebenya Nkoka and Moeketsi Mosuhli were among the 18 000 distance runners from all over the world, who participated in this year’s comrades marathon.