Johannesburg – Irvette van Zyl gained some boom following the birth of baby Louis six months ago as the Rio Olympics-bound distance runner dominates the local running scene.
Van Zyl has since established herself as the country’s top woman marathoner while she has also been unstoppable in the shorter distances on the road.
Although she has always featured among the top women athletes in South Africa, she admits she found more focus and purpose after the arrival of her and husband, national 400m hurdles record holder LJ van Zyl’s first-born son.
“I am more relaxed about training and my focus is a bit different now. Having a kid, my focus is a lot better than it was before,” Van Zyl said.
“I take it as it comes and I am not over-stressing like I usually do, so I think that helps me in a way.”
Van Zyl exudes an insatiable energy which she has been able to express in her running over the last few months.
In pursuit of qualifying for her second Olympic Games, Van Zyl ran her first race a month after giving birth and she finished the Spar Ladies 10km race in Joburg in 12th place with a time of 38 minutes 20 seconds.
In January she ran the fastest inland time in South Africa at the Johnson Crane half-marathon, clocking 72:08 minutes.
Van Zyl posted an Olympic qualifying time at the London Marathon in April when she crossed the line in 15th place in 2:32:20.
Although she still needs to be officially named in the team for the Olympics, it will be a travesty should she not make the cut for whatever reason.
Her time is the fastest of all the Rio hopefuls while her experience at major races would also strengthen her case for selection.
She boasts a personal best of 2:31.26 which she ran at the 2013 London Marathon, where she finished a creditable 10th.
Considering her current form, it would not be a completely outrageous thought that she could be a Rio medal contender.
Van Zyl would, of course, have to get close to Colleen de Reuck’s national record of 2:26.35 she set in Berlin in 1996.
“At big races like that you don’t really go for times but I can try again to run a sub-2:32 in Rio, and will continue to try and do it,” Van Zyl said.
“In London (her maiden Games) it was stressful, though an amazing experience.
“I think it will help to have that background and it would be great to go to my second Olympics.
“It will also be LJ’s last Olympics, so it will be a special experience with him which will be his third.
“It was such an amazing experience to share the opening ceremony with him in London and it would be great to do it again.”
The athletic couple’s lives have changed dramatically as they had to work their schedules around Louis, with Irvette gaining from the experience.
“Life is quite busy with him here. My training programme had to be adapted and fortunately we are two different athletes with me doing the long distances and LJ doing the shorter events,” Van Zyl said.
“He needs a coach present and I don’t need Lindsey (Parry) every day, so that helps a lot.
“I have my sessions early in the morning, and between 1pm and 2pm for my second session.” – The Sunday Independent