TOTALSPORTS TWO OCEANS MARATHON MEDIA PACK 2024 | Page 39

Two Oceans Results Ultra Marathon : 2nd 2022 ( 3:30.31 )

3rd 2019 ( 3:41.27 )

Half Marathon : 1st 2016 ( 73:14 ) 11th 2015 ( 81.17 ) 2nd 2013 ( 75:15 ) 2nd 2012 ( 76:22 ) 2nd 2010 ( 72:55 )

Honours Irvette van Zyl has an incredible pedigree and is known to be “ tough as nails ”, thriving on hard and tough courses , but also showing some speed .

• At the age of 15 !!! Van Zyl won the Nijmegen 15km ( 51:06 ).

• She has represented South Africa on eight occasions .

• In 2019 , Van Zyl smashed 2:34,01 in brutal conditions at the Soweto Marathon which is known as one of the toughest marathons in South Africa with an elevation of up to 1800m .

• In 2021 she lowered her Marathon PB from 2:31.26 to 2:28.40 in Sienna , Italy , when she qualified for the 2020ne Olympics .

• She subsequently improved that to 2:26.11 to provisionally book her spot on her fourth Olympic Games Team .

• She was selected to represent South Africa at the 2012 , 2016 and 2021 Olympic Games in the marathon .

• Van Zyl made her Ultra debut in 2019 at the Two Oceans Marathon and ran an impressive 3:41.27 .

• In 2021 she set a women ’ s only world record over 50km , running 3:04.24 at the Nedbank Runified 50km .

Recent and Notable Results 2024 : 1st Dischem ½ Marathon ( 76:13 )

1st Pirates ½ Marathon ( 78:00 – CR ) 2023 : 1st Soweto Marathon ( 2:34.16 )

39th Valencia Marathon ( 2:27.29 )

2022 : 3rd Nedbank Runified 50km ( 3:13.22 ) 2nd Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon ( 3:30.31 )

2021 : 1st Nedbank Runified 50km ( 3:04.24 – PB / Women ’ s only WR ) 3rd NMB ½ Marathon ( 72:54 ) 12th Sienna Marathon ( 2:28.40 – PB )

2019 : 3rd Two Oceans Marathon ( 3:41.27 ) 1st Outsurance Gun Run ½ Marathon ( 72:11 ) 1st Soweto Marathon ( 2:34.01 )

2018 : 1st Spar Women ’ s Grand Prix 10km , Pietermaritzburg ( 34:26 ) 1st Spar Women ’ s Grand Prix 10km , Cape Town ( 32:48 ) 1st Spar Women ’ s Grand Prix 10km , Johannesburg ( 34:07 ) 1st JHB CityRun 10km ( 33:52 ) 3rd Durban 10k CityRun ( 32:06 – PB )

2017 : 9th Barcelona ½ Marathon ( 72:36 ) 8th Cape Town Marathon ( 2:36.46 ) 1st Soweto Marathon ( 2:41.06 )

2016 : In 2016 , Van Zyl went on a string of victories , entering 18 races and winning 15 of them , including all four of the Spar Women ’ s Grand Prix 10km Races she entered .

Van Zyl entered seven 10km races in total and won them all . She won three of the four half marathons entered .

A stress fracture prevented her from starting in the Olympic

Marathon in Rio 1st 3000m Pretoria ( 9:32.47 ) 1st 3000m ASA Night Series Pretoria ( 9:11.51 ) 1st 5000m Gauteng North Championships ( 16:17.69 ) 1st SA Championships 5000m ( 16:02.63 ) 1st Pretoria 10km ( 33:30 ) 1st Tuks Pretoria 10km ( 33:55 ) 1st Spar Women ’ s Grand Prix 10km , Cape Town ( 33:24 ) 1st Spar Women ’ s Grand Prix 10km , Gqeberha ( 33:28 ) 1st Spar Women ’ s Grand Prix 10km , Durban ( 33:26 ) 1st Durban Women ’ s Race 10km ( 33:02 ) 1st Spar Women ’ s Grand Prix 10km , Johannesburg ( 34:58 ) 1st Cape Town 12k CityRun ( 39:40 ) 1st Johnson Crane ½ Marathon ( 72:08 ) 1st Pretoria ½ Marathon ( 75:28 ) 1st Two Oceans ½ Marathon ( 73:14 ) 2nd NMB ½ Marathon ( 71:00 ) 15th London Marathon ( 2:32.20 )

Irvette missed out on racing the 2023 Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon due to injury . The injury caused her to lose almost seven months of 2023 , but the enforced rest has meant she has bounced back stronger , winning her fourth Soweto Marathon title and missing out on her own course record by a mere 15 seconds . She now holds the three fastest times ever run at the Soweto Marathon .

2024 will be a race of redemption for Irvette .

TOTALSPORTS TWO OCEANS MARATHON MEDIA PACK 2024 Athlete Profiles by : Manfred Seidler

39