Apply in the meantime to erect a statue for Gerda Steyn somewhere; because South Africa’s marathon heroine is undoubtedly worth her weight in gold.
The 34-year-old long-breather not only won her fifth Two Oceans title in a row today, she simply smashed her own race record.
Steyn’s winning time of 3:26:54 is more than two minutes faster than last year’s record time of 3:29:06.
She impressed her parents from the start to the finish line, but she turned on the speed taps in the darts to win at a trot.
An excellent Irvette van Zyl did her best to stay with the eventual champion, but she finished second with her time of 3:29:30. A performance that would have been good enough for first place in 2022.
South Africa will do the double in 2024 @2OceansMarathon ????????
Onalenna Khonkhobe wins in a time of 03:09:30 to win the men’s Ultramarathon run????????
Gerda Steyn makes history with a fifth consecutive #TTOM2024 title – breaking her own record from last year ???????? pic.twitter.com/JquX00C8Mv
— SuperSport ???? (@SuperSportTV) April 13, 2024
But currently Steyn is in a class of her own.
“I didn’t know exactly how big my lead was, but I suspected that I was faster than my previous best time. It was a nice coincidence when I saw that the clock showed 3:26! It is a great privilege to improve the record and I am grateful for the opportunity,” she said after the action.
The Bothaville native’s running testimonial undoubtedly makes for impressive reading material; there is the Comrades record, the strong Olympic performance in Japan and the regular breakout sessions at some of the world’s biggest races. In December 2023, she improved the South African marathon record to 2:24:03.
Yes-no, Gerda Steyn is undoubtedly the queen of South African road races.
In the men’s division, Onalenna Khonkhobe became the first local athlete since 2019 to run away with the laurels.
His winning time was 3:09:30.
Saturday’s Two Oceans ultramarathon covers 56 km. Thousands of athletes brave the 21 km route on Sunday.
Onalenna KhonKhobe has done it! WHAT A CHAMP! ‘I’m announcing my arrival; tomorrow you will acknowledge me,’ Onalenna predicted at yesterday’s elite athlete press conference – prophetic words indeed ????
He is your Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon men’s Ultra CHAMP! WELL DONE! pic.twitter.com/awbwTLwDSM
— Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon (@2OceansMarathon) April 13, 2024
- Steyn’s times in the Two Oceans Marathon:
2024: 3:26:54
2023: 3:29:06
2022: 3:29:42
2019: 3:31:28
2018: 3:39:31
GERD! Another extraordinary @2OceansMarathon race for Gerda Steyn. Fifth win in a row, breaking her own record – and 56 kilometers run with a broad smile on her face. Wonderful athlete, wonderful person, and so inspiring to watch. pic.twitter.com/i8zURvUhuI
— Dan Nicholl (@dannicholl) April 13, 2024
