Comrades champion buoyed by increased money for 2024

The Up Run in 2024 will be the 49th edition, with organizers hoping to accommodate a maximum of 23,000 participants. Dijana was awarded R500 000 for winning the Ultimate Human Race this past June. An amount to be increased by 10 per cent in 2024.

"It means a lot to us. It's very important that there's an increase in prize money because it makes a difference in our lives," he told SABC Sport. 

The 35-year-old security guard from the North West shattered records during his second consecutive Comrades Marathon victory. He completed the gruelling race in an astonishing 5 hours, 13 minutes, and 58 seconds, surpassing David Gatebe’s 2019 record by over four minutes. This triumph earned him a prize money of R1 million, which helped him build a home. 

"Winning comrades twice really changed my life. Honestly, I was behind with so many things in my life, so I managed to recover and replace them. I'm refurbishing my house the way I wanted. The standard I needed it to be." 

Dijana will compete in 2024 against a teammate from the Nedbank Running Club, Edward Mothibi, who won the Up Run in 2019. Dijana holds Mothibi, who finished third in this year’s Down Run, in the highest regard and anticipates fierce competition when they cross paths once more.

"Edward is strong at hills. So, it's going to be a tactical race and competitive race. I think around March I'll start training. For now, we are just resting. [Maybe] in January we're going to have an odd 10km."