Tete Dijana won the 2023 race. Picture: Darren Stewart/Gallo Images
For the first time since 2019 the Comrades ultra-marathon in 2024 will be an “up” run.
This was confirmed by the Comrades Marathon Association on Friday.
The 97th edition of the famous race, won earlier this year by Tete Dijana and Gerda Steyn in record men’s and women’s times, will take place from Durban to Pietermaritzburg on Sunday 9 June.
CMA chairperson, Mqondisi Ngcobo, confirmed the news following Wednesday’s board meeting, saying, “Runners have been awaiting confirmation of the direction of next year’s race and we are pleased to announce that the 2024 Comrades Marathon will finish in the City of Choice, Pietermaritzburg.”
The last Comrades “up” run took place in 2019 prior to two consecutive editions of the road running event being cancelled due to Covid-19.
Since then, both the 2022 and 2023 editions were “down” runs, from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, which brought the up and down Comrades on par with the race’s tradition of hosting a down run in odd years and an up run in even years.