Johannesburg - Dominique Scott-Efurd ran the second fastest time for a South African woman over 21.1km as she finished third in a time of 67:32 at the Houston half marathon in the United States on Sunday.
Scott-Efurd’s massive Personal Best (PB) eclipsed her next fastest time by over three minutes, as she now holds the second best time over the distance for the Rainbow Nation behind the legendary Elana Meyer. Meyer holds the record of 66:44 which she set in Tokyo, Japan, in 1999. Colleen de Reuck’s PB of 68:38 came way back in 1989 (three years before Scott-Efurd was born), and now has the third fastest time over the distance for SA.
Kenya’s Victory Chepngeno won the women’s race in a time of 65:03, with American Sara Hall taking second in 67:15.
Scott-Efurd went through 5km in 16:03, 10km in 31:54 and 15km in 47:51. Chepngeno, meanwhile, ran the first 5km in 15:15, 10km in 30:32 and 15km in 46:04.
The 29-year-old Scott-Efurd already holds every indoor SA record from 800m to 3000m, and the 5000m. In total she holds six indoor SA records, and now can add the half marathon mark on the road to the list of her achievements.
The US-based athlete represented South Africa at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics in the women’s 10 000m. In 2016 she finished 21st, and in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, held in 2021 due to Covid-19, she placed 20th.