Durban — Comrades Marathon winners will receive more prize money this year.
That was according to the Comrades Marathon, which said that the 2023 Comrades Marathon prize money has increased.
“In line with the Comrades Marathon Association’s (CMA) commitment and promise to runners and the media to restore the prize money back to the levels before the Covid-19 pandemic struck, the CMA is pleased to announce that this year’s prize purse will be a substantial R4.31 million, effectively a 90% increase on last year’s R2.27m,” the association said.
It said that this represents nearly a doubling of last year’s 1st prize from R260 000 to R500 000 with 2nd and 3rd overall showing similar increases – from R130 000 to R250 000 for 2nd, and R90 000 to R180 000 for 3rd position.
“If the winner in either the men’s or women’s races in this year’s Comrades Marathon breaks the down run best times of David Gatebe (2016 – 5:18:19) or Frith van der Merwe (1989 – 5:54:43) respectively, he or she will take home a minimum of R1 million in Comrades prize money, comprising of a first prize of R500 000 plus a R500 000 incentive for breaking the best time. In addition to these prizes the first South African and first KZN athlete will each receive R200 000 and R60 000 respectively,” the association said.
It said that all other age categories and team prizes have been increased by similar 90% margins.
South African Athletes:
The first South African citizen (man and woman) to complete the event will each receive R200 000
KwaZulu-Natal Athletes:
The first KwaZulu-Natal athlete (man and woman) to complete the race will each receive R60 000 from the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.
In addition to the prize money, 1-ounce pure gold medals valued at around R38 000 each are awarded to the first 10 men and the first 10 women.
April 21 marked 50 days until the 2023 Comrades Marathon, with Toyota SA leading the runners from Pietermaritzburg to Durban.
The 96th running of the Comrades Marathon will take place on Sunday, June 11.
CMA race director Rowyn James confirmed the date and said that the 2023 Comrades Marathon will be the 48th down run, starting in Pietermaritzburg and finishing 12 hours later in Durban.
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