Warriors of the Comrades Down Run
Over the past few years, local runners have stamped their dominance on the Comrades Marathon.
Tete Dijana and Gerda Steyn have earned international acclaim through consistency, discipline and remarkable pace over gruelling distances.
Dijana, a security guard, inspires many with his humble background and meteoric rise to a three-time Comrades winner.
Steyn, who has won multiple Two Oceans Marathons, has set a new standard for women's distance running in South Africa.
MEN'S COMRADES DOWN RUN WINNERS
Year Winner Country Time
2025 Tete Dijana South Africa 5:25:28
2023 Tete Dijana South Africa 5:13:58
2019 Edward Mothibi South Africa 5:31:33
2018 Bongmusa Mthembu South Africa 5:26:34
2016 David Gatebe South Africa 5:18:19
MEN'S DOWN RUN RECORD HOLDER
2023 Tete Dijana South Africa 5:13:58
In 2023, Dijana mounted an incredible race to smash the down run record previously held by David Gatebe by over four minutes.
WOMEN'S COMRADES DOWN RUN WINNERS
Year Winner Country Time
2025 Gerda Steyn South Africa 5:51:19
2023 Gerda Steyn South Africa 5:44:54
2019 Gerda Steyn South Africa 5:58:53
2018 Ann Ashworth South Africa 6:10:04
2016 Charne Bosman South Africa 6:25:55
WOMEN'S DOWN RUN RECORD HOLDER
2023 Gerda Steyn South Africa 5:44:54
Steyn is widely regarded as the queen of ultra-distance running in South Africa.
Her 2023 win not only marked a personal best but broke a record previously held by Frith van der Merwe since 1989.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
6 days ago
- IOL News
Gerda Steyn: South Africa's road running star
Gerda Steyn, South Africa's leading road running star and multiple Comrades and Two Oceans Marathon champion, is training for a major race, likely the Cape Town Marathon as the year winds Sibonelo Ngcobo / Independent Newspapers Image: Sibonelo Ngcobo / Independent Newspapers If there's one name that is synonymous with SA road running at the moment, it has to be Gerda Steyn. The 35-year-old is at the peak of her powers and is the undisputed Queen of SA road running, and has been for some time. The four-time Comrades Marathon and six-time Two Oceans Marathon champion is always the favourite when she lines up in a race in South Africa when it's 42km and above. The Smiling Assassin also competes strongly for South Africa when she competes abroad, having also held the SA record in the marathon until recently when Glenrose Xaba set the new mark in October 2024. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Steyn's Phenomenal Speed and Endurance: From 5km to 90km Success Still, the fact that Steyn can compete with the best runners in the country in any distance from 5km to 90km is nothing short of phenomenal. It's also the reason why she's been so successful; Steyn has the speed to go with that endurance. That's why Steyn has been so prolific since she burst onto the scene with her first Two Oceans title in 2018.
eNCA
05-08-2025
- eNCA
Comrade's champion Gerda Steyn roped in to help Cape Town marathon
CAPE TOWN - When South Africans talk about marathon running, one name almost always comes up. Gerda Steyn, the golden lady of South African distance running. Now she's been brought in to help participants prepare for and complete the Cape Town Marathon. The race has its sights set on something big, becoming a World Marathon Major. But to get there, it's got to tick off a tough list of requirements. One of the biggest? Getting at least 15,000 runners across that finish line. But this race is about more than just the sport. It's about unity, pride, and putting Cape Town and Africa on the global stage. For Gerda Steyn, this race is about more than just kilometres and finishing times. She's convinced the Cape Town Marathon is the perfect way to showcase South Africa in all its beauty, energy, and spirit. Mark your calendars, the Cape Town Marathon is set for the 19th of October. And it's going to be big, the entire field of 24-thousand entries is officially sold out. By: Justin Ford
The Citizen
02-08-2025
- The Citizen
Young Ava hopes to cross Comrades finish line
In her first full CGA cross-country season, Benoni Northerns Athletic Club (BNAC) youngster Ava Brits is already turning heads. The promising eight-year-old has been making a strong impression in the U8 1km races since her debut at the second league meeting in Kagiso, showing speed, determination and hard work; clear signs of a future star in the making. Whether navigating tricky, slippery corners or powering up hills, Ava, named cross-country runner of the year by her school last year, is proving that passion and performance matter more than age. 'I've always loved running. I was inspired by my dad, who I always watched as he trained for the Comrades Marathon. I often do 5km runs with him,' she said. Although she often feels nervous at the start line, the Ridgewood College Grade Two learner has consistently finished in the top five of her races. She opened her season with a 06:05 for fourth place, followed by 05:56 in the third league in Dobsonville. She clocked 04:35 in league four in Daveyton before a season's best 04:28 in the last league meeting of the season in Brakpan on July 26. 'I enjoy running in the CGA leagues against boys because it's a lot harder than just competing with girls my age. My dad always motivates me by telling me to run my own race.' While many young athletes draw inspiration from professional sports stars, Ava looks up to her Comrades Marathon-running father. 'I love training with him because he always pushes me and reminds me of how good I am. He also tells me to believe in myself and most importantly, to have fun,' she said. Among her big dreams is one close to her heart: completing the Comrades Marathon one day. 'I want to run the Comrades when I'm big. This year I crossed the finish line with my dad in my BNAC kit. It was the best feeling in the world.' Also Read: Sawyer wins race in second cross country league Also Read: Madlabane's winning streak ends
