Klerksdorp Midweek, Klerksdorp - Although Gerda Steyn didn’t break her race record, she made it six in a row at the Two Oceans ultra-marathon in Cape Town over the weekend.
Steyn, from Bothaville, who has the ability to pace herself like a metronome, went out harder than usual and charged through the halfway mark on target to shatter her Two Oceans record of 3:26:54 on Saturday April 5.
And while she faded somewhat in the second half, she held on to win comfortably in 3:29:10, finishing more than eight minutes ahead of runner-up Shelmith Muriuki of Kenya (3:37:50).
After the 56km race, Steyn admitted she was delighted to become the first athlete to win the prestigious Two Oceans race six times.
“In my training I knew I was in good shape. I really felt strong and I tried to focus on the hills coming into the race, so I knew I was in shape for the record and I’m sure I could have done it, and I could still do it in future. But I’m not feeling like it was half a win. It wasn’t. I’m 100 percent happy with the result.”
Meanwhile, in the men’s race, Khoarahlane Seutloali of Lesotho took the win in 3:10:46 after a tight tactical battle. Siboniso Sikhakhane was the first South African home, finishing half-a-minute off the pace in second position (3:11:17).
In the Two Oceans half-marathon on Sunday, William Kaptein won the men’s race in 1:04:41, and Mercy Jebet Kibor of Kenya took the women’s contest in 1:17:06.
