MULTISPORT
What a Week !
Registered Dietician Mariella Dierks obviously knows how to ‘ fuel up ’ for optimum performance , given her two podium finishes at two major triathlon races in the first week of September ! – BY SEAN FALCONER
After her best swim to date and executing her bike leg plan to perfection , in spite of a headwind for the first 45km , Mariella Dierks started the run of the Ironman 70.3 World Champs in Port Elizabeth feeling like she was floating across the ground . “ When my teammate Natia van Heerden passed me at 8km , I decided to try stick to her and we ran together for seven kays . I felt amazing , and when we passed my coach , Richard Lawrie of My Training Day , at 15km , he told us we were third and fourth in the 25 to 29 age category , so I decided to take a risk and go for it .”
Mariella pulled away from Natia and caught the international girl in second at 18km , going on to claim the silver medal position behind fellow South African Jade Nicole . “ Going into the race I knew that if I hit the times Richard and I had spoken about , I would have my best ever race , but I exceeded my own expectations . I had told Richard I wanted to go for the podium at World Champs , and achieving that was incredible . To be honest , it still feels a bit unreal .”
Exactly one week later she lined up for the MiWay Cape Ultra at Theewaterskloof Dam , specifically to test her limits . “ I decided to do back-to-back races to see how my body will react , since I am thinking about turning pro . Fortunately for me , the swim was cancelled due to the water only being 11 degrees , so we ended up doing a duathlon instead . That played to my strengths , since I am not as good a swimmer , but I had never done a duathlon before , so it was a new challenge . Everybody went out hard , so I got onto the bike already in the red zone . I caught the leading two women after 6km , but then my chain dropped twice and Michelle Krebbs overtook me . I kept her in sight for the next 15km , and once I overtook her again , I held the lead to the finish for the overall win !”
The Journey Begins
Mariella ( 26 ) has lived in Cape Town most of her life , except for three years in Austria when she was little , and a few years away for studies . She first completed a B . Sc . in sport science at Stellenbosch University , then completed her B . Sc .
Honours degree in nutrition and dietetics at the University of Cape Town , followed by a Community Service Year in Grahamstown in 2016 . Back in Cape Town since early 2017 , she currently works as the dietician at Velocity Sports Lab in Hout Bay , and is also the consulting dietician at DayToDay , a food box delivery company , where she does menu analysis , content development and new product development .
In terms of sport , she worked as a lifesaver from 2008 till 2015 and participated in competitive lifesaving , winning three long run titles at SA Champs ( 2009 , 2011 and 2015 ), with a silver in 2014 and bronze in 2012 . She also participated in road and trail running , often finishing on the podium , but in 2015 decided to try something new . “ I actually have no idea why I entered my first Ironman 70.3 in East London , because I didn ’ t even own a bike , but I really enjoyed it .” She finished fourth in the 18-24 age category , then went on to finish fifth in her category at the Durban 70.3 later that year .
In 2016 , while working in Grahamstown , she finished second at the Eastern Cape Tri Champs and went on to finish eighth in the 20-24 category at SA Champs . She also added more age category honours with a third at the Discovery World ITU Tri in Cape Town , seventh at Ironman 70.3 Durban , and second at the Nelson Mandela Bay 5150 . “ After that I decided to really give it a go , because I wanted to see how good I can get , so I signed up with Richard and have been training consistently since early 2017 .”
Upward Curve
The results soon followed , including an overall win in the Tinman Triathlon in Durban , second overall in the Discovery Triathlon Cape Town , and other solid age category results : Seventh at 70.3 East London , second at Ironman 70.3 Bintan in Indonesia , fourth at Ironman 70.3 Durban , and fourth at the Miway Durban Ultra . This year she added third in her category at 70.3 East London , third overall at the Durban Ultra , and won the Durban 70.3 overall .
Now , with her latest two results added to this already impressive list , Mariella says she has to make a decision on her plans for 2019 . “ I would like to go to World Champs again , but I am not yet sure about turning pro , since I feel I still have a lot of experience to gain in the sport . But given everything , it was an amazing , special season – if somebody had told me at the beginning of the year these would be my results , I would have told them to stop smoking whatever it is they ’ re smoking !”
Images : Kevin Sawyer
32 ISSUE 111 OCTOBER 2018 / www . modernathlete . co . za