Liza ready for fierce Mpumalanga challenge
She also ran alongside Caster Semenya and lost by a few seconds.
Randfontein’s runner champ, Liza Kellerman, 19, will be competing in the 10km road Championships for South Africa to be held in Mpumalanga on Saturday, 29 September.
“After that, in December, I will be representing South Africa in Botswana at the Region Five Games and I will be running the 800 metres there,” Liza said.
Liza said in the previous challenges that she took part in, she did quite well.
“On September 8 in Port Elizabeth during the 6km cross country run at the ASA championships, I ended in the Top 10 junior women and we were honoured with a gold medal.”
Liza, who also runs for the University of Johannesburg, said she and her team made the university proud at the university championships of South Africa that was also held recently.
“There I ran for a 4km challenge and came third. Our UJ team won the overall challenge,” Liza said.
Asked about the upcoming competition on September 29, Liza said: “I really feel excited about it, I feel that my training is going well, and I am fully prepared for it. I hope to come back with a gold medal.”
Liza also took on Caster Semenya in the 800m at the South African Senior Championships in Stellenbosch in 2016, and only missed the number one position by a few seconds.
She said even though she was not able to beat Caster, the entire experience was very good and very motivating.
Asked for some advice for those wanting to become professional runners, Liza said discipline and consistent training are the most important elements.
“It is also important to know your body. When you feel like you cannot go forward anymore, you should stop and make sure to rest, otherwise if you push further and further you will sustain injuries.”
Liza said she did not just become a runner, she followed the footsteps of both her mother and father.
Liza said she ultimately she wants to see herself at the champion at the next Olympics.
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