Jade Doran’s return to the top was as emphatic as it was hard-earned.

When the Benoni Northerns Athletic Club (BNAC) teenager toed the line for the U18 women’s 2000m steeplechase at the CGA Track and Field Championships on March 14, there was a quiet sense that this race would be different.

After a challenging league phase, during which a vitamin B deficiency disrupted her form and rhythm, Doran arrived with renewed purpose, and it showed from the outset.

That intent was unmistakable at the very first water jump. She attacked it with the conviction of a seasoned steeplechaser, signalling her ambition to reclaim top spot. Gone was the uncertainty that had defined her early season. In its place stood the composure and aggression that had carried her to both provincial and national titles the year before.

“This season has been really tough for me. There have been so many setbacks. It was so nice to finally run a race that I enjoyed and felt like my old self again,” said Doran.

From the gun, the Benoni High learner surged to the front and never looked back. Over five gruelling laps, clearing 18 barriers and five water jumps, she maintained a relentless tempo. While Karabo Ntsibande of Boxer and Kempies’ Kendra Dorfling attempted to apply pressure, they were never truly in contention.

By the time the bell rang, the race for gold was effectively over. It became Doran versus the clock.

Drawing on her trademark strength, she powered through the final lap to stop the clock at a season’s best 07:10.02, underlining her return to peak condition.

Ntsibande finished 34.66 seconds adrift, with Dorfling rounding out the podium in 07:50.27.

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Reflecting on her early-season struggles, Doran revealed that identifying the root cause of her dip in form had lifted a significant mental burden.

“I struggled a lot mentally at the beginning of the season with the stress of life. Everyone goes through it. This year started a bit stressful. I finally figured out that I have a vitamin B deficiency. That’s why I’ve been so severely tired all the time,” she said.

“Now that we’ve identified that, it’s almost like my mentality has switched.

“It wasn’t necessarily my fault that I was running so badly; it was because of an underlying reason we didn’t know of. My mind has changed now that we know my condition. I’m getting better, and I can run a little faster.”

Looking ahead to next week’s ASA age-group championships at Germiston Stadium, the 17-year-old reiterated her ambition, not just to defend her title, but to break seven minutes.

“I want to defend my title, but my main goal is to run a better time and better myself. Even if that means not winning, as long as I can improve my time.”

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