TALENT DISCOVERED
DOORS OPENING
RACE WALKING
50km to Glory
Natalie in action at the 2017 SA Champs
As early as 600 BC , legendary Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said , “ A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step .” He could have been talking about race walker Natalie Le Roux , who on 21 October was crowned the SA 50km Road Race Walking Women ’ s Champion . Attempting the distance for the first time , the KZN athlete finished in 4:54:33 , not only becoming the first female walker in South Africa to break five hours , but also taking a whopping 20-plus minutes off the previous SA Record of 5:17:55 , set by Sandra Steenkamp in Cape Town in October 2011 . Not bad for somebody that had taken an eight-year break from competitive walking !
TALENT DISCOVERED
Natalie ’ s ‘ first step ’ was back in 2000 , when she was in Matric . “ I went with a friend to Bellville Athletics Club to become a registered runner , as we wanted to start taking part in road races . Then in my first race I saw somebody race walking and was immediately attracted to the sport .” She quickly showed a real talent for walking and set Western Province records in the 3000m and 5000m for Girls Under-20 in 2001 , followed by a WP Senior record in the 3000m in 2003 . However , as so often happens , ‘ real life ’ then forced Natalie to put walking on the back-burner .
“ I studied Food Technology at the University of Stellenbosch and started working in 2005 at what was then Rainbow Chickens in Worcester , now RCL
Having taken an eightyear sabbatical from race walking , Natalie Le Roux returned to competition in 2015 and her remarkable comeback continued in October with a new SA Record for 50km in her debut at the distance . Now she has her sights set on the world stage .
– BY MANFRED SEIDLER
Olympian Marc Mundell salutes Natalie at the 2016 SA Road Race Walking Champs
Foods . I also met my husband and had my son , so it was simply impossible to do any form of training . I did try briefly in 2007 and finished fourth at the SA Championships in the 20km event , but it was simply not sustainable ,” says Natalie , who was married in 2008 and had her son De Wett in 2012 .
Another comeback almost happened a few years later , when a former walking rival and friend , Rouzanne Harris , was teaching in Worcester and coaching the youngsters . When she left to start a new job , she asked Natalie to take over as coach , and by training with the kids , the walking bug started to bite again ... but in 2014 Natalie ’ s husband was transferred to Durban , and the combination of the move , work and being a full-time mom once again put paid to any thoughts of competing .
However , in 2015 Natalie decided it was time to race again , and an SMS message to SA and Africa 50km Record Holder Marc Mundell saw her introduced to his father , Ollie , himself a former top walker , who began coaching her . Just a few short months later she competed at the South African Championships in Cape Town and not only won the 30km race , but also set a new South African record of 2:46:48 !
DOORS OPENING
In April 2016 , the IAAF announced that women would , for the first time , be able to compete in the
50km Race Walk at the 2017 World Championships in London , but with the qualification window closing too soon , and Natalie not yet ready for a shot at the distance , she and Ollie set their eyes on the 2017 SA Championships in George . In the months leading up to her 50km debut , she showed that she was in form by setting two new PBs , walking 1:43:49 for 20km at the SA Masters Champs , followed by a 25:02.99 for 5000m in Birmingham in the UK . Then it was time for the 50km .
“ I wanted to give it a go and see how it felt , and the plan was to try and go under five hours ,” says Natalie . “ It was a long distance and it was my first race , so I ’ m really proud of myself . This was the hardest thing I have done , but I ’ m excited to try it again , and now the plan is to go closer to four-and-a-half hours . I am currently ranked 22nd in the world and I would really like to see how high in the world rankings I could go .”
These days , Natalie is fortunate to have an incredible support system that makes competing possible , thanks to her parents staying on the same property , which means she has someone on hand to look after her son when she is training . “ I am really blessed to be in this position . With this support base , I am now targeting an international race for 2018 , ideally in the middle of the year , and I am also keen to give the 20km another go . My biggest regret is that in 2004 I was invited onto the Olympic squad , but due to work commitments I was not able to see what I could achieve , so this is another lease on my walking career and I want to see just what can be done .”
Images : Cobus Groenewald , Cape Town Sport Photography
28 ISSUE 101 DECEMBER 2017 / www . modernathlete . co . za