More Than A Race – Isiko Mpilo
The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) is excited to announce a significant increase in the prize purse for the 2025 Comrades Marathon. This enhancement underscores the CMA’s commitment to recognizing the extraordinary efforts and achievements of its participants.
The total prize purse for the 2025 Comrades Marathon has been increased to just over R7,6-million, reflecting a substantial boost from previous years. This increase will benefit top finishers in both the men’s and women’s categories, as well as age group winners and other special categories.
“We are thrilled to offer a larger prize purse for the 98th Comrades Marathon,” said CMA Chairperson Jeff Minnaar. “This increase is a testament to our dedication to supporting and rewarding the incredible athletes who take on this challenging race. We look forward to seeing the heightened competition and outstanding performances that this will inspire.”
At the recent race launch, Acting Race & Operations Manager, Alain Dalais confirmed that prize money for the 2025 Comrades Marathon has been increased by 10% across the board, meaning that the winner in both the Men’s and Women’s races will take home a cool R874,000 which includes a ‘top up’, thanks to major sponsor Cell C.
Cell C will also be sponsoring a cash prize of R500,000 for the Best Pace in both the Men’s and Women’s races as well as a R50,000 Hotspot prize.
Down Run Best Pace:
Men: 2016 – David Gatebe – 03:34:08 min/km
Women: 2023 – Gerda Steyn – 03:55:98 min/km
The prize purse also includes a cash payment of R550,000 should the winners break the Best Time previously recorded for the Down Run in both the Men’s and Women’s races.
Down Run Best Times:
Men: 2023 – Tete Dijana – 05:13:58
Women: 2023 – Gerda Steyn – 05:44:54
In conjunction with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, the race will incentivise the First, Second and Third KwaZulu-Natal Men and Women home with a cash prize.
There will also be prizes for the First South African Man and Woman.
The total prize purse is as follows:
|
CMA Prize Money
|
5,083,000
|
|
Cell C Top-up
|
1,422,000
|
|
Cell C Pace
|
1,000,000
|
|
Cell C Hot Spot
|
100,000
|
|
Total
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7,605,000
|
The 98th Comrades Marathon will be a Down Run on Sunday, 8 June 2025, starting at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall at 05h30 and finishing 12 hours later at Durban’s People’s Park, with a race distance of approximately 89km. This will be the 49th Comrades Down Run.