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15 April 2023 | Story Gerda-Marié van Rooyen | Photo Two Oceans Marathon Twitter
Gerda Steyn  winning the 2023 Two Oceans Marathon
Former UFS student, Gerda Steyn, made history this weekend – she is the first woman to win the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon four consecutive times.

Kovsie alumna Gerda Steyn provided much jubilation on Saturday 15 April 2023, as she became the first woman to win the Two Oceans Marathon four consecutive times. Steyn, who represented South Africa in the 2020 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan, in 2021, improved her personal best by finishing the race 39 seconds faster than her winning time in 2022.

Shortly after her fourth win in the 56 km race, Steyn told media that the desire to inspire girls kept her motivated during the race. “I thought of all the girls watching (the race) with their parents and seeing a woman who looked like everyone else winning this big race.” The former University of the Free State (UFS) professional athlete managed an average pace of 3:45 minutes per kilometre. Steyn proved that hard work pays off, as she finished 14th at the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon in 2016. Her first-ever first place at this race was in 2018, and again in 2019 and 2022 – the marathon was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Proving that she not only has golden feet but a heart of gold too, she pledged to donate some of her bonus money towards the development of athletes living in Muizenberg shortly after she won the Two Oceans in record time in 2022. A true example of perseverance and hard work, she also won the Comrades Marathon in 2019, and finished seventh in the London Marathon in 2020. 

Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, says that Gerda is an embodiment of focus and determination. “I am so proud of her. The UFS is truly the home of champions, as can be seen by the achievements of Olympic track athletes Wayde van Niekerk, Louzanne Coetzee, and champions in many other sporting codes.”

Saturday’s Two Oceans Marathon saw Ethiopian-born Amelework Fikadu Bosho finish second in the women’s race – crossing the finish line 12 minutes after Steyn – with Carla Molinaro from Britain in the third position. Approximately 10 000 athletes entered the race, starting at the Newlands Stadium and ending on the University of Cape Town's campus.

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UFS awards degrees and diplomas during Spring graduation ceremony
2007-09-12

On 12 and 13 September 2007 the University of the Free State (UFS) will award 626 degrees and diplomas to students from the Main and Vista campuses during the spring graduation ceremony.

Altogether 464 degrees, 134 diplomas and 28 doctorates will be awarded. The diploma ceremony for all faculties will take place on Wednesday 12 September 2007 at 14:30 and the graduation ceremonies will take place on Thursday 13 September 2007 at 08:30 and 14:30.

On Thursday 13 September 2007 at 08:30, 128 degrees and 1 doctorate will be awarded in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences and 110 degrees and 12 doctorates will be awarded in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences.

At 14:30 that same day 82 degrees and 2 doctorates will be awarded in the Faculty of Health Sciences, 30 degrees and 2 doctorates in the Faculty of Law and 7 degrees and 4 doctorates in the Faculty of Theology.

Both ceremonies will be held in the Callie Human Centre on the Main Campus.

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za   
5 September 2007
 

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