Steyn finally challenge Irvette Van Zyl’s Soweto Marathon dominance

A RUNNING rivalry that is actually pretty overhyped given that there’s always been one winner could well become a true rivalry this weekend.

- MATSHELANE MAMABOLO-

Gerda Steyn and Irvette Van Zyl have been built up to being fierce adversaries thanks to their brutal contest at the 2022 TotalSports Two Oceans Marathon when the latter gave the former a scare by running her close in the popular 56km race. That both runners dipped under the 3:30:36 that was previously thought of as an ‘unbreakable’ record set by the inimitable Frith Van der Merwe back in 1989 excited all and sundry.

But with Steyn beating Van Zyl at this year’s race and also continuing her dominance of the Comrades Marathon in which her Hollywood Athletics Club teammate made an impressive debut with a fourth-place finish, it appeared as though there really is no rivalry.