Record-breaking Rewards for Comrades Marathon Winners
It was a day of triumph and substantial rewards for Tete Dijana and Gerda Steyn at the annual Comrades Marathon held in KwaZulu-Natal. The ultra-distance race saw both athletes emerge victorious, with Dijana claiming his third Comrades title and Steyn securing her fourth.
Dijana showcased his strength and determination by fending off a strong challenge from Dutch athlete Piet Wiersma to clinch the men’s race in an impressive time of 5:25:28. On the other hand, Steyn dominated the women’s field, finishing nearly five minutes ahead of her closest competitor with a time of 5:51:19.
Prize Money and Bonuses
For their outstanding performances, both Dijana and Steyn were handsomely rewarded. As the race winners, each athlete received a hefty sum of R874,000. Additionally, they each earned R220,000 for being the first South African runners to cross the finish line.
Steyn’s achievements were further recognized with an additional R50,000 for being the first woman to reach a hotspot point in the second half of the race. Moreover, both athletes set a new milestone by recording the fastest average pace ever seen in the men’s and women’s ‘down’ run events, earning them an extra R500,000 each.
In total, Dijana took home a grand total of R1.576 million, while Steyn’s earnings amounted to an impressive R1.626 million. Despite not breaking their own race records, the athletes undoubtedly left their mark on the Comrades Marathon with their exceptional performances and record-breaking rewards.
