Dijana wins Nedbank Ultra Marathon

Well-known South African runners made a statement last week by dominating the Nedbank Ultra Marathon in Gqeberha. Tete Dijana, a noted runner and the Comrades Marathon champion for the year 2022, took first position in the men’s category. Onalenna, William Khonkhebe, and Tony Skink were the runners who followed Dijana, placing second and third respectively. Emane Seif Hayile took first place on the women’s side. Hanna Lindholm and Emelework Fikadu Bosho came after her.

Dijana made another piece of long-distance running history at the Gqeberha Marathon by being the first person to complete the Nedbank Race (50 Km) in 2:39:03. Dijana did well, beating the record set by Stephen Mokoka in Gqeberha the previous year. With a time of 03:00:29, Hayile finished the race for the women.

First-place finishers received R150 000 as their prize money. The second-place finishers each received R65 000. Third-place finishers received R35 000. Dijana went home speechless after winning. “I was surprised by my victory,” Dijana said after crossing the finish line.

“For the whole first half of the race, I ran as I had planned. I became more focused in the later portion. I was fatigued at the conclusion of the marathon, but what I am proud of is that I fought to the end,” said Dijana, who rose to prominence after winning the Comrades Marathon in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, last year.

Melikhaya Frans, a runner from Gqeberha, used last week’s marathon as a practice run before the Boston Marathon in the United States next month.