In light of the Paris Olympic Games starting a week from now, here is a question for sports boffins – who are the only two South African female athletes to rank in the top 20 in their respective events?
The answer is Prudence Sekgodiso, who clocked a time of 1:57.26 over 800 metres. It is the third fastest time this season. Marione Fourie ran 12.49s in the 100m-hurdles. It is one of the 15 fastest times so far.
So sports fans should be sure to watch their heroics in Paris. If nothing unforeseen happens, both could compete in the Olympic finals. As it said, once in a final, anything could happen.
Fourie, trained by Jaun Strydom at Tuks, certainly has been in splendid form since recovering from an injury. She podiumed in all nine races, winning five. Fourie was second once and third on four occasions. Her slowest race was 13.03s, and her fastest was 12.49s, a new South African record.
Her times in the last four European races were 12.60s, 12.49s, 12.56s and 12.50s. Being faster than 12.60s is sort of a benchmark when competing in the 100m hurdles. At the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and 2017 World Champs, a time of 12.55 seconds would have been good enough to win silver, and during the 2020 Tokyo Games, bronze. A time of 12.49s would have meant Fourie would have finished fourth at the 2024 World Champs in Budapest.
According to Strydom, the goal is for Fourie to run the final at the Paris Games.
“To do so means Marione needs to be fast, really fast. The 100m hurdles is currently one of the most competitive events in women’s athletics. The time gap between the 15 fastest athletes is a mere 0.24s. Marione might have to come close to running a personal best time to qualify for the final.”
Strydom ascribes speedy heroics to her being very disciplined and focused.
“What helps is that Marione utterly trusts me as her coach. She is also very driven. She wants to be one of the best. It helps that she has “BMT” (big match temperament). She is not allowing herself to be intimidated by her opponents’s reputations. All that matters to her is to execute each to near perfection.”
Strydom was himself a hurdler when at school. But he quickly admits that his performances did not set the world alight.
“Each year at school, I would win a few races, but nothing major. I was a better judoka. I got my provincial colours. I took up coaching when my younger brother decided to be a hurdler. My brother took a tumble in his first race, which led to me deciding to help him. I was about 22 at the time. I have never stopped coaching. I have been doing so for 47 years now,” said the Tuks coach.
“Being a coach is to me more than what happens on the track. I see myself more as a mentor. I want my athletes to succeed in everything they do – as athletes and students. It is important to me that athletes enjoy what they do during training. Yes, there are going to be difficult times and disappointments. I tend, at times, to be tough as a coach. But when that breakthrough moment happens, it is so more special.