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18 April 2018
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Gerda Steyn, former Kovsie student and winner of the Two Oceans ultramarathon this year, with her trophy.
Gerda Steyn, female winner of this year’s Two Oceans ultramarathon, says her life has changed for the better in a very short time.
The former Kovsie received an invitation to a world-renowned marathon at the end of the year. She may not reveal the details yet.
Steyn, who studied Quantity Surveying and Construction Management at the University of the Free State (UFS) between 2009 and 2012, was just the third South African to win the Two Oceans since 1994. Her time of 3:39:31 was the second-best in the past seven years. For many she was a surprise winner because she didn’t compete last year and only managed a 14th place in 2016.
“Things really took off since the race (in Cape Town at the end of March). I received a lot of exposure. People say you must try and win the race, but they don’t tell you what will happen after that with all the media attention.
“My next goal is the Comrades for which I started training in the third week of April. I will only decide on my specific goals for the race two weeks beforehand.” She obtained a fourth place last year.
According to Steyn, who is a full-time athlete, she only did a couple of cross country races while she was studying.
“I played a bit of soccer and hockey for my hostel (Soetdoring). I have very fond memories from my university days. A couple of our hostel friends had a reunion after the race in Cape Town and had reason to have a big party.”
UFS hosts Colloquium on Sexuality, Society and Pedagogy
2013-04-08
10 April 2013
Top researchers in the field of sexuality and education in South Africa will be presenting the first ever colloquium on sexuality education in South Africa in Bloemfontein this month. The colloquium will be hosted by the Faculty of Education at the University of the Free State (UFS), where sexuality education and how the South African Schools System teaches sexuality to youths, will be under the spotlight.
This Colloquium aims to open discussion and debate on how sexuality is taught, and should be taught to South African teens by teachers and society.
Prof Dennis Francis, Dean: Faculty of Education, also explains that the objective of this colloquium is to understand the importance of sexuality education in schools.
Some of the topics up for discussion at the two-day colloquium, entitled Sexuality, Society and Pedagogy, will address issues on mediating sexuality in South African schools, youths with disabilities and sexual identities, homosexuality and homophobia, teaching ‘straight’ in South African communities and the implications thereof. It will also take a closer look at the position and/or repositioning of South African teachers as sexual educators.