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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.”
Six of our students on their way to Stanford Sophomore College
2014-08-21
Back, from the left are: Philip Kitsopoulos (BCom Law), Ulrich Kristen (Medicine)
and Stephan Erasmus (Medicine).
The university hosted a send-off function for our students who are about to attend a three-week seminar at Stanford Sophomore College (SoCo).
Six Kovsie students were selected to attend the seminar at the Stanford SoCo in September 2014. This programme is an immersive learning experience where participants attend class meetings during the morning. Their afternoons include class activities, explorations of Stanford, field trips as well as organised events.
UFS students were invited to apply for one of six SoCo courses in February 2014. After months of apprehension, the successful Kovsie applicants were announced in May this year.
These outstanding Kovsie students and the courses they will attend are:
- Sebabatso Makafane, Vuyisile Kubeka and Philip Kitsopoulos – New Millennium Mix: Crossings of Race and Culture;
- Ulrich Kristen – Resistance Writings in Nazi Germany;
- Kaylene Pillay – Ghost Stories: Why the Dead Return and What They Want From Us; and
- Stephan Erasmus – Responses to the AIDS Epidemic.
During the farewell function, Rudi Buys: Dean of Student Affairs, handed the students their flight tickets and visas. This was followed by messages of support from Dr Lis Lange, Directorate for Institutional Research and Academic Planning, and Prof Neil Roos from the Centre for Africa Studies.
Prof Roos concluded the evening’s programme with some advice for these students. “Don’t go there and come back to copy the students and personalities you meet there. Go there and show your own characteristics to them.”
The six Kovsies will depart on 29 August and return home on 19 September 2014.