The South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) has confirmed that all drug-tested athletes who completed the 2023 Comrades Marathon have returned negative results for doping, clearing the way for more than R4-million in prize money to be paid out by the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) to the deserving athletes.
CMA Race Director, Rowyn James says, “We would like to once again congratulate our 2023 Champs; as well as our winners in all categories on running a phenomenal race nearly a month ago. We are also pleased with the SAIDS confirmation that no athlete who competed in the 2023 Comrades Marathon had tested positive for doping; and applaud the athletes for upholding the ethos of fair play and keeping the sport clean.”
Nedbank Running Club’s Tete Dijana won the Men’s Race in a time of 5:13:58; breaking David Gatebe’s 2016 Best Time of 5:18:19 by over four minutes, while Phantane Athletics Club’s Gerda Steyn claimed her victory in a time of 5:44:54, breaking Frith van der Merwe’s 34-year stranglehold on the Women’s Best Time of 5:54:43 by more than 9 minutes.