Centurion — South African long distance runner Irvette van Zyl will be looking to improve on her third place in the 2019 Two Oceans Marathon.
The race is scheduled to be held in Cape Town on April 17.
With the 56km ultra marathon in Cape Town cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19, it will be the first staging of the race in three years.
In 2019, Gerda Steyn bagged her second victory in a row in a time of 3 hours 31 minutes and 29 seconds (3:31:29), with Van Zyl taking third in 3:41:32.
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Van Zyl, now aged 34, broke the 50km ultramarathon world record in May last year with her time of 3:04:23.
With that performance firmly etched in her memory, Van Zyl will be keen to give Steyn — who is the favourite once more — a better run for her money this time around.
“In my second Two Oceans, I’m really looking forward to this one. I’m hoping for a better time and a better placing,” said Van Zyl
“This time I’ve prepared better, so I look forward to running better.
“I think I like experiencing new distances right now, because it’s new and a challenge. And that’s something I enjoy.
“I can’t just leave it at what 2019 was. I want to get that mental picture out of my head and have a better race this time around.”
IOL Sport