Gerda Steyn knocks more than a minute off her SA marathon record
Comrades champion is well inside the 2:26:50 Olympic qualifying standard for the 2024 Paris Games
03 December 2023 - 19:36
bySPORT STAFF
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Gerda Steyn, seen here winning the 2023 Comrades Marathon earlier this year, has qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Picture: DARREN STEWART/GALLO IMAGES
Gerda Steyn knocked more than a minute off her SA women’s marathon record, clocking 2hr 24min 03sec in Valencia on Sunday.
The Comrades champion, who holds the Up and Down best times, set her previous 2:25:28 42.2km mark in Siena in April 2021 and is well inside the 2:26:50 Olympic qualifying standard for the 2024 Paris Games.
More impressively Steyn became the fastest South African woman over the distance, surpassing the 2:25:15 by Elana Meyer at the 1994 Boston Marathon, which didn’t count for records because it was deemed an aided course.
Steyn finished 15th at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Irvette van Zyl, who won the Soweto Marathon in November, finished in 2:27:29.
The 2:26:11 she clocked in Valencia in 2022 will get her to France as long as two more local athletes don’t go faster between now and the end of the marathon qualifying window on April 30 2024.
Athletes in all other events have until June 30 to achieve the qualifying criteria.
Van Zyl has been to three Olympics, but is still looking to complete a marathon. She was dogged by injuries at all of them, either not being able to start or finish the races.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Athletics
Gerda Steyn knocks more than a minute off her SA marathon record
Comrades champion is well inside the 2:26:50 Olympic qualifying standard for the 2024 Paris Games
Gerda Steyn knocked more than a minute off her SA women’s marathon record, clocking 2hr 24min 03sec in Valencia on Sunday.
The Comrades champion, who holds the Up and Down best times, set her previous 2:25:28 42.2km mark in Siena in April 2021 and is well inside the 2:26:50 Olympic qualifying standard for the 2024 Paris Games.
More impressively Steyn became the fastest South African woman over the distance, surpassing the 2:25:15 by Elana Meyer at the 1994 Boston Marathon, which didn’t count for records because it was deemed an aided course.
Steyn finished 15th at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Irvette van Zyl, who won the Soweto Marathon in November, finished in 2:27:29.
The 2:26:11 she clocked in Valencia in 2022 will get her to France as long as two more local athletes don’t go faster between now and the end of the marathon qualifying window on April 30 2024.
Athletes in all other events have until June 30 to achieve the qualifying criteria.
Van Zyl has been to three Olympics, but is still looking to complete a marathon. She was dogged by injuries at all of them, either not being able to start or finish the races.
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