2023 Comrades Marathon prize money 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 Covid19 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 R2.27 million.

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 R 60.000 respectively.

All other age category 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 Athlete

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 & Culture.

In addition to the prize money, 1-ounce Pure Gold Medals valued at around R38.000 each are awarded to the first ten men and the first ten women.