Green Dream Team ‘expecting to dominate’ Comrades Marathon

Preparing to send a large top-flight contingent to the race, Nedbank Running Club have fired a warning at their opponents ahead of the Comrades Marathon next month, claiming they are ready to clean up at the annual ultra-marathon in KwaZulu-Natal.

The club, which was one of six to achieve gold medals for top-10 finishes in the men’s and women’s races last year, unveiled a powerful team on Thursday.

Former winners

Their ‘Green Dream Team’ squad includes Tete Dijana and Edward Mothibi, who have won the last three editions of the men’s race, as well as seven other athletes who earned gold last season.

Dijana, the SA 50km record holder, charged to victory on the ‘down’ run in 2022 and 2023, and he broke the Comrades record last year when he completed the race in 5:13:58.

Mothibi also holds impressive credentials, having won the last ‘up’ run which was held back in 2019, and securing top-three finishes over the last two years.

In addition, among the 45 runners the club has entered in the elite field, the Nedbank team features Dutch athlete Piet Wiersma and local contender Adele Broodryk, who were the runners-up in the men’s and women’s races last year.

Others to watch in their team include the likes of Two Oceans ultra-marathon champion Onalenna Khonkhobe and consistent Polish athlete Dominika Stelmach.

“Most of our elite athletes are currently in training camps across the world and we are expecting to dominate all factors, gender groups and team prizes of this exciting world-class ultra-marathon on race day,” the club said in a statement.

The 2024 Comrades Marathon, an ‘up’ run between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, will be held over 85.91km on 9 June.