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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

UFS school of management offers educational workshop to alumni and public
2004-08-27

“The most important responsibilities of the University of the Free State ’s (UFS) School of Management towards its alumni are the provision of quality academic programmes and continuing quality service.” This is according to the Director of the School, Prof Helena van Zyl.

“One of these services is to offer workshops in order to refresh alumni’s better knowledge and to expose them to the latest developments in several fields and disciplines. Such an opportunity is being arranged by the MBA Alumni on 11 September 2004 , when alumni and members of the public are welcome to join in an interesting workshop,” said Prof van Zyl.

The three subjects that will be discussed will of such a nature that all professional and non-professional persons – from lawyers to general practitioners and people in the business world – will benefit from it.

Prof Teuns Verschoor, Vice-Rector: Academic Operations at the UFS will discuss The effect of the promotion of access to information on medical practitioners, patients and their next of kin.

Prof Verschoor’s second presentation will give insight into The professional as an expert witness in court. Medical practitioners will obtain one CPD ethics point for participating in the workshop.

Another highlight of the workshop will be Prof Mukul Gupta from India , who will give a presentation on marketing lessons learned from India .

The first two sessions, led by Prof Verschoor, will take place from 10:00 to 12:00 . The workshop presented by Prof Gupta, will be from 13:00 to 15:00 . The workshop will take place in the CR Swart Auditorium on campus at a cost of R100 per person. Those interested can contact Mr Danie Bredenkamp at 082 5530 535 or banket@mweb.co.za.

More than 100 MBA students have graduated since 2001 and all of them are invited to the Annual General Meeting, which will take place in the CR Swart Auditorium after the workshop.

The annual MBA Alumni Banquet, exclusively for Kovsie Alumni with an MBA qualification from the UFS, will take place on the evening of 11 September 2004 .

For more information Sarien can be contacted at (051) 401-9195 or crouss.ekw@mail.uovs.ac.za.
 

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
27 August 2004

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