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14 August 2019 | Story Ruan Bruwer | Photo Comrades Marathon
Gerda Steyn
Gerda Steyn, winner of both the Two Oceans and Comrades ultramarathons in 2019.

Former Kovsie, Gerda Steyn, winner of the 2019 Two Oceans and Comrades ultramarathons, is excited to be part of a new era of female athletes in South Africa. She shares some personal insights:

What are some of your early childhood lessons?
 

“I learned early in my life that you have to work hard to be successful, it doesn’t just happen by itself. Also, there will be difficult days, so appreciate the good days and never take anything for granted.”

What inspires you? 

“Getting the most I can out of my body and seeing how close I can get to competing with the best athletes in the world.”

What does a future South Africa look like for you as a woman? 

“Women (especially in sport) are on the rise; we are experiencing a new era of female athletes in South Africa, and it is very exciting to be a part of it. We have many talented women here and developing these talents should be the number one priority if we want to have more success stories in the future. Sport brings hope and South Africa needs this more than ever.”

Tell us something about you that no one knows? 

“I have never been to a hospital for any reason other than visiting someone (and for my birth).”

What does success mean to you? 

“Success to me means not giving up until you reach your own targets, regardless of others’ goals or ideas. It means making the impossible a reality, and breaking barriers that positively impacts your life and the lives of others.”

What is the most important lesson you have learned and who is your mentor? 

“I learned that you always have to keep on going and that there will always be an excuse not to show up; but if you really want something, you need to give 110%! 

My mentor and coach is Nick Bester, manager of Nedbank Running Club and winner of the Comrades Marathon in 1992.”

News Archive

Kovsies in top four in Global Business Challenge
2015-05-06

Photo: Mark Steenbok (Bloemfontein Courant) 

 

Christiaan Paulsen (team leader), Sias Conradie, Jannie de Wet and Frikkie Jacobs.

Four Kovsies in the Department of Mathematical Statistics and Actuarial Sciences are one of the top four teams in the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants’ (CIMA) Global Business Challenge. 178 teams registered to participate in the competition.

 

Team Bernoulli from the UFS will compete against two teams: one from the University of Pretoria and one from the Chartered Accountant Training Institute in Sandton. The winning team will win a trip to Poland, Europe to represent their university and country at the 2015 global final.

 

This international business competition is for undergraduates around the world, designed to bring out the best in the young business leaders of tomorrow.

 

Team leader, Christiaan Paulsen, said: “We are overjoyed to be in the final. However, our true success is in what we learned along the way”.

 

The team has to present a business case study, showcasing their talent in business management. During this competition, the team has

  • learned to analyse and solve a real-life business case study;
  • -obtained first-hand experience of the skills required to be a business leader;
  • enhanced their team building skills; and 
  • developed their presentation skills.  

Students from Australia, Bangladesh, China, Ghana, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Ireland, GCC, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Phillipines, Poland, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Vietnam, and Zambia are taking part in the competition.

 

This competition is organised by CIMA in conjunction with Barclays.

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