The Biogen-backed Nedbank Running Club is preparing to paint the 2024 Comrades green with 45 elite athletes, including the defending champion, previous up-run winner and a host of Nedbank International Elite athletes, in addition to over 600 Nedbank Club runners.
“The team is ready to produce an exciting and very entertaining Comrades marathon race on 9 June 2024,” declared National Team Manager Nick Bester.
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“Most of our elite and top athletes are coming off successful training camps around the world and we are expecting to dominate every category on race day, from the men’s and women’s races to the team prizes and age groups at this exciting world-class ultra marathon.”
The Elite team includes defending Comrades champion Tete Dijana, who won the last Comrades (a down run) in 2023, and Edward Mothibi, winner of the last up run in 2019.
“We also have Adele Broodryk and Piet Wiersma competing for our team, the respective runners-up in the women’s and men’s fields in the 2023 Comrades marathon,” added Nick.
The team also boasts multiple Comrades Gold medal winners, who will help contribute to securing the overall team prize.
Challenging up run route
The 97th Comrades Marathon is an up run, which starts at the Durban City Hall at 05h30 and finishes at the Hollywoodbets Scottsville Racecourse. This will be the 49th Comrades up run, with runners covering approximately 86km on the day, with over 1600m of elevation.
Entrants will have 12 hours to cross the line to secure their finisher’s medal. It is the world’s largest and oldest ultramarathon race and remains one of the toughest road races on the planet.
The Nedbank Running Club team members chasing goal times and a finisher’s medal come from 12 national Nedbank Clubs and 4 African clubs.
Catch all the action
Supporters can see the Nedbank Running Club Elite athletes at the official Comrades media launch on Friday, 7 June 2024 at 10h00 at the Elangeni Hotel.
As the official broadcaster of The Ultimate Human Race, SuperSport will provide extensive coverage of the entire race, including a women’s-only race feed, and 13 hours of coverage on the main feed.
SuperSport will also broadcast the “Find Your Friend” channel, with a dedicated finish line camera on an OTT channel to allow viewers to see every runner cross the finish line. All three channels are available to DStv Premium subscribers.
