Gerda 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.

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.

However, that could well change on Saturday when Steyn steps down into Van Zyl’s ‘playground’ for the first time. The Smiling Assassin may be a former South African standard marathon record holder, but she is going into unchartered territory when she makes her debut in the African Bank Soweto Marathon – a race Van Zyl has won four times and is the record holder.

Add to that the fact that Steyn competing in the People’s Race was not part of her plan for the year but rather due to circumstances beyond her control and it should be ‘advantage Van Zyl’, right?

The popular runner had spent weeks – as she always does – preparing for the pretty flat Sanlam Cape Town Marathon only for the Abbotts’ World Major status-chasing race to be cancelled due to heavy winds blowing in the Mother City in the wee hours of race day.

Of course, Steyn knows how to conquer tough courses – her domination of the Two Oceans and Comrades marathons testament to this. She should be able to handle Soweto. The question is whether she will do that well enough to also leave Van Zyl seeing the heels of her Adidas.

It will take some doing from Steyn because her adversary is the Queen of the Soweto Marathon. It is a race she loves. Damn she won it when she was pregnant. And you can bet she would love nothing more than to be the one breasting that finish tape with Steyn in pursuit. Oh how delighted the Pretoria lass with an infectious giggle would be.

And it is purely because of this two that this year’s women’s race in the 30th running of the race that first began way back in 1991, will be the main attraction.

Traditionally, it is always the men’s race that everyone is excited about. But Steyn’s decision to participate has changed the status quo, moreso with Van Zyl also running.

Do not, however, misconstrue that to mean the men’s race will be without sparks. Far from it, what with the legendary Stephen Mokoka also set to make his debut in the race.

Like her teammate Steyn, Mokoka was disappointed by the Cape Town Marathon cancellation and has decided to use that fitness in Soweto. He will be eager to depose fellow North West runner in Onalenna Khonkhobe who is out to hold on to his title. The competition will be stiff with former winner Ntsindiso Mphakathi also in the mix. But Saturday’s race could well be the Gerda and Irvette show.