Cape Town - If the sometimes fickle Stellenbosch weather can play ball, then get ready for sprint queen Carina Horn to become the fastest woman in the land - on her own.
The 27-year-old Horn equalled Evette de Klerk’s 25-year-old 100-metre South African record of 11.06 seconds at a meeting in Madrid last July, but she wants the milestone to herself.
And after an extensive indoor season in Europe where she worked on being more explosive out of the blocks, Horn feels she is ready to run a new personal best at this weekend’s SA National Track and Field Championships at Coetzenburg.
The women’s 100m final is scheduled for 7.40pm on Friday night, and if Horn didn’t know it yet, we can inform her that the weather is set to be ideal for a quick time. A clear day with maximum of 26 degrees Celsius has been forecast, with a minimum of 13, but more importantly, only an 11km/h wind.
Last year when she won the title at the same venue, the wind was the main cause of a comparatively slow 11.40 for Horn.
But the big target for 2016 is breaking the 11-second barrier, and Horn feels she is not far off that mark. And a new SA record is definitely possible on Friday, even at the coast. “Well… It (sub-11 seconds) is what (I want to achieve). My training is getting better - I have done a whole lot of personal bests in certain things in training, with sprints and in the gym, so the time is definitely there,” Horn told Independent Media on Wednesday.
“It just depends on the weather. You never know in Stellenbosch - last year, in the heats, semi-final and final I had wind speeds of minus-three and minus-two. So, if the weather plays along, then there is a possibility of a PB. But we will see on the day.
“I ran the 11.06 at the coast in Madrid, so it is definitely possible. It’s not about the coast or altitude for me. It’s just about the right time.”
The big change in Horn’s career came about in 2012, when she decided to join forces with renowned Austrian sprint coach Rainer Schopf. It meant that she had to live in Linz for a few months per year while competing in Europe, but the sacrifice was worth it in the end.
“I think it is the main reason for my improvement. It’s a different coach and he knew what I needed. We met for the first time in Germany and he decided to drive through to where I was through a friend that I knew,” Horn said.
“I saw how he works on the track - it was something totally different and I decided that ‘Okay Carina, this is what you need’. It is going to be a major life decision, but as they say, you must take a chance with something you hope to achieve. And so far, I have got what I wanted out of it.
“He also made sacrifices when I have to fly over there, and he has to be in South Africa for two months at a time as well (to train me). He has someone who took over his training group, so that helps me as I get the one-on-one coaching that I wanted.”
But before she can think about the Olympic Games in Rio in August, Horn has her SA title to defend on Friday night, where she will go head-to-head with former champion Alyssa Conley for the title.
Horn beat Conley in their only previous encounter this year, at the Athletics South Africa Night Series meet at Pilditch Stadium in Pretoria last month, when Horn ran 11.23 and Conley 11.29, both of which were Olympic qualifying times.
But the Tuks athlete says she isn’t thinking of Conley as a threat, as she is “just focus on my own race and myself, and I’m just going for the win”.
Bigger things lay ahead of Horn, who is set to compete in a few Diamond League meetings ahead of the Olympics, where she will take on Olympic and world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce from Jamaica, as well as last year’s world silver medallist Dafne Schippers from The Netherlands.
Fraser-Pryce clocked a blistering 10.76 in Beijing last year, with Schippers second in 10.81 and American Tori Bowie taking the bronze in 10.86.
That’s two-tenths of a second quicker than Horn’s PB, and she hopes to be inspired by Fraser-Pryce to record that elusive sub-11-second mark.
“It’s very nice to run against them. We will get each other at meetings before the Olympic Games, and you get used to the vibe that you get (around the top athletes). And it is totally different around those people, especially Shelly-Ann,” Horn said.
“They will greet you from 100 metres away. But during the competition, we know where we stand with each other and that’s really enjoyable, because it helps with the vibe and gives you a different mindset for the race. You feel that you’ve seen these big-name athletes and how they run; it definitely helps you (to not be overawed).
“We are waiting for my agent to confirm my races, but there are definitely a few Diamond Leagues that I will take part in. And to run in an Olympic final, you will definitely have to run under 11 seconds.”
@IndyCapeSport
Independent Media