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Gerda Steyn during the Two Oceans ultra-marathon.
South Africa’s long-distance runner Gerda Steyn wants to reclaim the marathon national record. She lost it to Glenrose Xaba, who shattered Steyn’s three year record at the Cape Town marathon, last year.
The Comrades and Two Oceans marathon champion joined the Hollywood Athletics Club at a glittering ceremony in Durban on Wednesday.
Steyn is one of the most consistent long-distance runners in the country in the last few years.
She won the Two Oceans for a consecutive five times in a row and the Comrades three times, also setting records in some of the events.
Last year she lost her three-year national record to Xaba at the Cape Town marathon.
Steyn’s hope is to reclaim the record – this time keeping it for longer than three years.
Steyn says, “I would love to get the record back I held the record since 2021 and last year it was broken so I would like to keep the record for little longer and I will do everything in my power to get the record back.”
Steyn, who represented South Africa in the 2020/24 Olympics has joined the Hollywood Athletics Club.
She joins an impressive elite line-up, including Loveness Madziva and Irvette van Zyl to create a formidable team for the Two Oceans Marathon in April.
Steyn says, “One of the main reasons is just the fact that they are so passionate about the sport the excitement in thousands of members they have got we have seen the club grow from strength to strength especially in their past two years with their numbers just skyrocketing the whole country can see the passion they have is contagious.”
The purple team current roster includes Soweto Marathon champion Neheng Khatala and IAU 50 kilometre World Champion, Carla Molinaro.
But it is the Comrades and Two Oceans titles they are yearning – and Steyn is ready to deliver.
Steyn adds, “Of course there is pressure but I see it as the way for me to give back to the club that supports me, I don’t see it as the negative thing to have pressure I feel they really want me to do well and support me towards my goals.”
2025 is likely to be a busy year, including the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
But the 34-year old says the Comrades and Two Oceans marathons will be her priorities.
“I know that the two oceans and comrades are the races that I am really passionate about so that will be my two main goals for the year going forward, I will be doing other smaller local races just in preparation of my two main goals.”
Steyn’s debut in the Purple Team colours will take place at the 30 kilometre Bay to Bay race in Cape Town this weekend.
