by Stephen Granger
Thirty-four-year-old athlete from Rustenburg in South Africa’s North West Province, Tete Morena Dijana, turned his life around with a sensational win in the 2022 Comrades ‘Down’ Run between Pietermaritzburg and Durban over the weekend (Sunday 28 August) after breaking away from his two training partners from the Nedbank team, Edward Mothibi and Joseph Manyedi, in the final 15km of the race.
Dijana, who took unpaid leave from his job as a security official to prepare for the race, crossed the line at the new race finish at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in 5 hours 30 min 36 sec – 12 minutes outside David Gatebe’s 2016 record for the Down Run – to win by just over three minutes ahead of 2019 winner Mothibi, with another Nedbank athlete, Dan Moselakwe, third.
Three times Comrades winner and crowd favourite, Bongmusa Mthembu, of the Arthur Ford club, proved his mettle with another solid gold-medal performance for fourth, while another race favourite and second-placed finisher at the Two Oceans Marathon earlier this year, Nkosikhona Mhlakwana, placed 6th in a run that bore the mark of a potential future champion.
Russian ultra-distance road and trail athlete, Alexandra Morozova, won an appeal to allow her to compete in the Comrades Marathon, after World Athletics strongly advised Athletics South Africa to prevent her from taking part in order to be consistent with their stance on the participation of Russian athletes, and she made full use of the opportunity, overhauling early frontrunners South African Adele Broodryk and Polish athlete Dominika Stelmach to win in 6:17:48 – 23 minutes outside Frith van der Merwe’s ‘down’ record.
Stelmach, a frequent visitor to South Africa to take part in road and trail competition, improved on her previous 5th position at Comrades to take second place over seven minutes in arrears, with senior lecturer in Health Sciences at North-West University, Broodryk, running an excellent Comrades debut to take third.
One of the moments of the 2022 race which will live long in the memories was the courageous finish of Jenna Challenor. Coming into the stadium Challenor’s legs gave way to cramp as she took the rose given to the top ten finishers. Hauling herself to her feet the Durban athlete gingerly jogged around the grassed field, but she collapsed again twenty metres short of the finish line. As the fifth-placed runner, Galaletsang Mekgoe, entered the statium, Challenor crawled across the line on all fours to clinch her gold medal and fourth position.
he race proved successful, delivering the much-needed tonic to the province following a year of social and nature-based challenges, and was broadcast to millions. Inevitably, given the prolonged COVID-related absence, there were both highs and lows, bouquets and brick-bats, some of which we’ve detailed below (SPNA opinion only).
Bouquets
By far the biggest bouquet is summed up in the 2022 Comrades slogan – ‘The Return’. The fact that this national treasure is back after missing two Comrades Marathons is cause enough for celebration and to render the inevitable ‘comeback challenges’ of secondary importance.
The fact that the race took place with the necessary infrastructure and trappings in place just over a year since the trauma of urban devastation which hit KZN after the ‘Zuma controversy’ and the equally devastating floods which hit Durban just over four months ago, proved a significant healing balm to local and regional citizens.
The impressive manner that incoming Comrades chairperson, Mqondisi Ngcobo, has held the reigns in the build-up and implementation of the Comrades, providing quiet guidance, being accessible to the media and giving free-reign to his strong team to do what they do best made a significant difference to the success of the race.
The impressive marathon racing by South Africa’s ultra-marathon athletes, both experienced athletes who have enjoyed previous Comrades glory and a new group of emerging younger athletes, indicated that distance running in South Africa is in rude health, confirming South Africa’s place as a world-leader in ultra-marathon running.
The fact that a number of international elite athletes, especially among the women, chose to compete at Comrades ahead of significant other high-profile road and trail races is an indication of the esteem in which Comrades is held, as is the fact that almost two thousand runners came from 70 countries outside South Africa’s borders to take part in ‘The Ultimate Human Race’.
The technically excellent television coverage, backed by a competent and knowledgeable commentary team contributed significantly, albeit with several issues which will hopefully be sorted before next year.
The turnout of spectators to greet the runners along the route in many of the usual ‘Comrades Haunts’ was gratifying.
Brickbats
- The Moses Mabhida Stadium is one of the best in the country, but is it the best finishing venue for the Comrades? The buzz and excitement typically associated with traditional Comrades finishes appeared muted. Also only a relatively small piece of the stadium was used to accommodate the finish while finishing runners, supporters and the usual tent town were located at a venue a short distance from the stadium
- Large parts of the closing final kilometres, extended because of the new finishing venue, were difficult to access by spectators and lacked the energy and excitement of past years. Surely a better route can be charted?
- As good as the television production was in parts, the absence of regular time splits of the leading runners through various distance markers (apart from halfway) was a major drawback for anyone interested in following the race. In similar vein the absence of a camera on the chasing pack with all the race favourites for the vast majority of the first half was particularly disappointing. It would have been relatively simple to move the mobile camera assigned to track the second athlete back to the pack at intervals.
- For several reasons, the August Comrades date is less than ideal and many runners and supporters are hopeful of a return to the accustomed date in June.
Overall, and given the context and the realities with which the CMA were faced, the 2022 Comrades Marathon was an outstanding success and will go down in the running lexicon as the significant ‘come-back’ of the world’s biggest ultra-marathon.
Results (RSA unless otherwise indicated)
Men
1 Tete DIJANA Nedbank RC AGN 5:30:38
2 Edward MOTHIBI Nedbank RC AGN 5:33:46
3 Dan MOSELAKWE Nedbank RC AGN 5:36:25
4 Bongmusa MTHEMBU Arthur Ford AC 5:38:07
5 Johannes MAKGETLA Nedbank RC AGN 5:41:36
6 Nkosikhona MHLAKWANA Hollywood Bets AC KZN 5:43:28
7 Joseph MANYEDI Nedbank RC AGN 5:44:57
8 Solly MANDUWA MAW/Phantane 5:46:10
9 Charles TJIANE Maxed Elite CGA 5:47:04
10 Lutendo MAPOTO Murray & Roberts LIMA 5:47:20
Women
1 Alexandra MOROZOVA Russia 6:17:48
2 Dominika STELMACH Poland 6:25:09
3 Adele BROODRYK Murray & Roberts CGA 6:26:35
4 Jenna CHALLENOR Murray & Roberts CGA 6:42:14
5 Galaletsang MEKGOE Nedbank RC AGN 6:42:53
6 Camille HERRON USA 6:44:29
7 Helena JOUBERT Hot RC 6:55:36
8 Janie GRUNDLING Murray & Roberts KZN 6:59:44
9 Annerie WOODING Murray & Roberts AGN 6:59:55
10 Yolande MACLEAN Murray & Roberts CGA 7:00:19
