broke it in Prague , posting a brilliant new mark of 12.91 – and that in spite of not having the best of starts , coming out of the blocks second-last , but still leading over the first four hurdles . “ To at long last break Corien Botha ’ s record was amazing . I had dreamt of doing so for seven years , and what made it even better was that it was not the perfect race . My technique going over the first four hurdles was possibly the best I have ever done , but I was coming onto the hurdles so fast that it led to me losing a bit of rhythm , and I hit the sixth hurdle . I was quite emotional afterwards , especially when I met up with my coach , Hennie Kriel . I owe so much to him for the way he guided me to break the record .” |
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Images : Reg Caldecott |
and at the end of 2015 I consulted a foot specialist , Dr Fief Ferreira , and he finally identified the problem . I had an extra piece of bone about 15mm long in my ankle , which impaired my mobility and therefore caused a lot of pain when running ,” says Rikenette .
“ There was no other option than to do surgery , followed by six weeks ’ bed rest , two months ’ physiotherapy and two months of swimming , whilst working with a biokineticist and basically learning to walk properly again ! That rehabilitation period was difficult , although I knew it would all be worth it , but I could only return to the track in September 2016 ! There were moments when I thought I wouldn ’ t ever run again , but I am blessed with an amazing family and support system that carried me through this time . They always helped me to focus on the next part of the process , and we celebrated every small victory .”
That saw Rikenette return to the track in 2017 and rediscover top form . In fact , she was stronger than ever , and began knocking on the door of dipping under the 13-second barrier , and challenging Corien Botha ’ s SA Record of 12.94 seconds , which had stood since 1998 . She took that same form into 2018 and broke through 13 seconds for the first time early in the year , posting 12.99 , then clocked a fantastic 12.92 in Switzerland , but the wind from behind was unfortunately too strong for record purposes .
Undaunted , Rikenette continued chasing the record , and in June 2018 , she finally
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In Full Flow Rikenette was at the peak of her career in 2018 , dipping under 13 seconds no less than five times , and a year later , once again in Prague , she set a new national record , running 12.81 . However , at the time , she said she felt that this wasn ’ t actually her best run . Instead , she cited the day she won gold at the World Cup in London as the closest she came to the perfect race , even though it was in a slightly slower 12.88 . “ It was amazing , everything clicked , and it felt like I was ' flowing ' over the hurdles .”
Now , looking back on her whole career , she admits that she might have done some things differently . “ I definitely would have made a more concerted effort to train more cleverly . There were times when I pushed myself too hard . Often , that was what led to me getting
Now it ’ s time to relax , coach , and get married !
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Rikenette Steenkamp will no longer be settling into her blocks to race the 100m hurdles .
injured . But then again , my coach and I did our best with the information we had ,” says Rikenette .
“ The biggest lesson I learnt is that it is OK not to have everything under control . I always wanted to do everything perfectly , and train hard to be the best . I view things very differently now , because life almost never works out completely as planned . I enjoy my running a lot more now when I am relaxed and make jokes . I also don ’ t see mistakes or bad races as failures . It is part of sport to go through processes , and it ’ s not possible to run a personal best in every race . Instead , I always win in my mind – I win character , I win lessons , I win exposure , I win
experience … but I never see a race not won as “ I lost .”
Passing on the Wisdom On a related note , when asked if she has any advice for young athletes , Rikenette says , “ It may sound like a cliché , but I wish someone had said it to me when I was a young athlete , that the one thing every young athlete should realise is that no sports career lasts forever . So , enjoy every moment . Looking back , I ran my best times when I enjoyed myself .”
“ Also , young athletes should realise that they need time to achieve the big goals , so enjoy the small victories along the way . Don ' t compare yourself or your results to that of other athletes . Each athlete ' s journey is unique . Know that it is a privilege to represent South Africa . Also , please speak to your coaches when you are injured , or if something is bothering you . It is important to have an open relationship with your coach ,” she adds .
Looking ahead , Rikenette promises that she will stay involved in the sport in some way , and at the moment , she says she gets great joy from coaching primary school athletes . She adds that the one thing she truly wants to do is to mentally assist athletes , but for now , she is most excited about the new chapter that starts in March , when she gets married to fiancé Jan-Chris Avenant .
THE BASIS OF THIS ARTICLE WAS
SUPPLIED BY THE DEPARTMENT
OF SPORT ( TUKSSPORT ) AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA . TO FIND
OUT MORE ABOUT THEIR SPORTING
CLUBS AND FACILITIES , GO TO
WWW . UP . AC . ZA / TUKSSPORT .
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