Mother of marathons Gerda Steyn has made South Africa proud again after she conquered an age-old national record at the Valencia Marathon 2023:
Valencia, Spain (06 December 2023) — Gerda Steyn is officially the South African female speedster to have conquered an age-old record of the national history books after a stellar performance in Valencia this past Sunday.
South Africans everywhere know Gerda as a long-distance legend, and her recent run in Spain defended this title yet again.
So pleased with a new marathon PB and National Record of 2:24:03 🥳🥳🥳 It was a great day in Valencia!!! #valenciamatathon2023 #oneveryhappygirl pic.twitter.com/2mpEe0GfeJ
— Gerda Steyn (@gerdarun) December 3, 2023
Gerda finished the Valencia Marathon (almost 43 kilometres) with a National Record of 2:24:03. This was a personal best for the athlete as well as a new era for the record previously set by Elana Meyer’s Boston record in 1994.
“Marathons are all about finding that thin line between your maximum effort for the distance and pushing too hard! You have to be 100% confident in your ability to do the job you set out to do, against all odds!!” Gerda shared of the successful stretch.
She added:
“This running life is not always the easiest, but it is by far the most incredible one, and I can’t thank everyone enough for all the support!”
With a new record under her belt, this recent achievement sits among many other victories, including one from earlier this year at the Comrades, where she broke the women’s times record with a 5:44:4.
Beyond this, the mother of marathons is a 2x Comrades Marathon and a 4x Two Oceans Marathon champion. Her determination, openness, reflective nature and success all afford her the status as one of the greatest runners in South Africa of this generation.
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