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10 June 2019 | Story Ruan Bruwer | Photo Gerda Steyn Twitter
Gerda Steyn
Gerda Steyn, a former student at the University of the Free State, won her first Comrades race on Sunday, setting a new course record.

Winning the Comrades ultra-marathon is the greatest honour of her life and still feels unreal, said Gerda Steyn a day after winning the race in a record time.
 
The former Kovsie student had an incredible race on Sunday, completing the 86,83 km’s in a time of 05:58:54, which is a new record for women in the up run. It is more than 10 minutes faster than the previous record of 06:09:23 set in 2006.
 
It was also the fourth fastest Comrades time ever by a female in the 94-year history of the race.
 
Greatest honour of my life

 
“Being the Comrades winner is the greatest honour of my life. Thank you to an entire nation for carrying me to the line. It feels like a dream,” Steyn said.
 
The 29-year-old Steyn became the first woman in 30 years to win both the Comrades and Two Oceans in the same year. She also won the Two Oceans in 2018 and came second in the Comrades last year.
 
Steyn, who studied Quantity Surveying and Construction Management at the University of the Free State (UFS) between 2009 and 2012, said the record time was discussed beforehand.
 
I went for it
 
“We felt it was possible, but it wasn’t my main goal right from the start of the race. At the halfway mark, I saw it was possible and I went for it.”
 
According to Steyn, the media attention since her win is quite intense. “But I don’t complain. It is such an honour, so I do it with a smile.”
 
At the Two Oceans ultra-marathon in April, she missed out on the 30-year record time by just 53 seconds.
 
Prof Francis Petersen, UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor, said Steyn was a proud ambassador of the university. “It is always important for me to see how our former students perform. I would like to congratulate her. Well done. She is carrying the Kovsie name with pride,” Prof Petersen said.
 

News Archive

Miss SA and Shimla’s Young Guns captain motivate Kovsie students
2014-04-09


Miss SA and Shimla’s Young Guns captain motivate Kovsie students
Photo: Sonia Small

Rolene Strauss, Stefan Janse van Rensburg and Shimla’s Young Guns team awarded certificates of excellence by Dean: Student Affairs.

On her ninth day as Miss South Africa, Rolene Strauss, a fourth-year medical student at the UFS, together with Stefan Janse van Rensburg, captain of the Shimla’s Young Guns who won the U/20 Varsity Cup title, addressed a group of male students.

Residents of the JBM men’s residence, as well as the Shimla Young Guns, were inspired and motivated by Rolene and Stefan.

“Kovsies is where I come from; this is why I am who I am today. One day I will call my autobiography, Life as a garden, because I see life as a big garden where we all grow as flowers. In the Kovsie garden we are flowers with our roots firmly anchored in Kovsie soil.

“I take from Kovsies the ability to adapt, to appreciate and to care. With these positive characteristics, people around me experience freedom, love and kindness,” Rolene said.

Stefan told the group of students that it is important to surround yourself with people who can lift you up, especially in difficult times.

Rudi Buys, Dean: Student Affairs at the UFS, presented Rolene, Stefan and the entire Young Guns team, together with their coach, Jaco Swanepoel, certificates in recognition of excellence.

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