An unfancied security guard pulled off a stunning upset at the 2022 Comrades Marathon staged on Sunday, August 28, 2022 in the cities of Durban and Pietermaritzburg in South Africa.
Dijana clocked an impressive time of 05:30.38 to win the men’s category, claiming victory at what is widely described as one of the toughest road races on the planet.
Defending champion Edward Mothibi crossed the finishing line in a time of 5:33:46 to settle for second-place.
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Speaking after the race, Dijana gave an account of how he faced difficult challenges while preparing for the marathon to the extent that he had to seek help from a psychologist.
"It means a lot. I have been through a lot. Before my training camp, something happened, and I had to see my psychologist. I then went to the training camp having taken three months of unpaid leave. It was worth it.
"This one is for Mafikeng and Bokone Bophirima [North West]. Edward Mothibi won it in 2019 and now I have, too," he stated.
He also disclosed that he often had to sleep for only two hours so that he could prepare for the ultra-marathon.
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Many South Africans took to social media to congratulate Dijana for the milestone achievement.
North-West University, the higher learning institution where he works as a security guard, praised one of their own for representing them well.
"NWU congratulates Tete Dijana on winning the Comrades Marathon. As a member of the MI 7 security group at the Mahikeng campus you are an ambassador for the NWU,” read their Twitter statement.
The ultra-marathon which was started in 1921 is divided into six stages and competitors who failed to complete a given stage at the set time are disqualified automatically.
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