Durban - Tete Morena Dijana produced a stunning run by a Comrades Marathonn down run novice to win the 95th edition of The Ultimate Human Race this morning in 5 hours, 30 minutes.
The Nedbank Running Club athlete broke away from up run champion Edward Mothibi just before the 45th cutting to register a victory that is sure to change his life for the better.
A security guard at the North West University, the 34-year-old was among the favourites given his scintillating run at the Nedbank Runified 50km race in Gqeberha where he finished second behind world record breaker Stephen Mokoka.
Mothibi finished third in that race.
There was, however, doubt as to whether his lack of experience would count against him. Dijana had run his first Comrades in 2019 and finished 50th.
🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦 𝗔![CDATA[]]>𝗿![CDATA[]]>𝗺![CDATA[]]>𝘀 𝗿![CDATA[]]>𝗮![CDATA[]]>𝗶![CDATA[]]>𝘀![CDATA[]]>𝗲![CDATA[]]>𝗱 𝗶![CDATA[]]>𝗻 𝘁![CDATA[]]>𝗵![CDATA[]]>𝗲 𝗮![CDATA[]]>𝗶![CDATA[]]>𝗿 💪![CDATA[]]>💥
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) August 28, 2022
At the last Comrades Marathon, Tete Dijana finished 50th, today he walks away as a CHAMPION 🏆
📺 Stream #TheUltimateHumanRace live: https://t.co/0BMWdeEYT3 pic.twitter.com/7AYivFa3mJ
But he allayed those fears with a well calculated run that saw him sticking with the bunch until the time to pounce was right.
After Nedbank Running Club teammate Onalenna Khonkhobe set the pace, Mothibi and Dijana took over from him at the bottom of Fields Hill.
The duo exchanged handshakes with the youngster who, according to team manager Nick Bester, was test driving Comrades prior to having a proper assault at it next year.
And once they left the rest of the bunch, the men from Mahikeng in the North West province appeared to be on a Sunday morning long run as they cruised towards the finish.
Sharing drinks at the water points, they hardly looked like men in competition and it was hard to tell who would reign supreme.
But when Dijana made a go for it at Westwood Mall just before the 45th cutting, and the race was then over as a contest.
He knew he had the beating of his teammate having previously outran him in Gqeberha.
Mothibi came in a distant second and Dan Moselakwe completed the podium.