Wöstmann wants to go to Olympic Games
The Comrades marathon queen of Pretoria, Caroline Wöstmann, has a new dream – she wants to qualify to take part in the Olympic Games next year.
Pretoria’s road race superstar Caroline Wöstmann, winner of both the 2015 Comrades and Two Oceans ultra-races, has set herself a new challenge. She wants to qualify for next year’s Olympic Marathon.
She has been invited to compete in the New York Marathon in November and Lindsey Parry, head coach at the Tuks high performance centre (hpc), said much will depend on her performance in New York.
“If Caroline manages to run a time close to or faster than 2 hours and 35 minutes, I think next year’s Olympic Marathon will be our next goal. I would then like her to run a second marathon roundabout April next year where her goal should be to run a time as close as possible to 2 hours and 30 minutes. If she manages to do that, she will probably be one of South Africa’s top-three female marathon athletes,” Parry said.
Judging by the statistics it will be a tall order for Wöstmann to qualify for the Olympics because currently her best marathon time is only 2 hours and 44 minutes. This means she will have to improve by nearly 14 minutes during the next 11 months.
But if Wöstmann has proved anything this year, it is that she is not one to shy away from a challenge.
According to the friendly lecturer and her husband, Haiko, her success can be ascribed to one simple motto: “You can do it.”
Wöstmann likes the challenge of setting herself a goal and then working very hard towards achieving it.
“Every time I thought about the Comrades I visualized winning. So nothing is impossible. The only limitations we have are the limitations we put on ourselves and I will never limit myself by saying I am not capable of doing something. I strive to give it my best and if I don’t succeed it is OK. It is not the end of the world. All that matters is that I enjoy what I am doing.
“After winning the Comrades it feels as if I have achieved my ultimate goal. Obviously Comrades will still be there next year, but I feel I should challenge myself by doing something else, something new which I have not done before. I like the uncertainty of pushing the boundaries, not knowing whether it is possible to break through,” Wöstmann said.
Parry is confident another of his local athletes, Irvette van Zyl, will also have a good chance to qualify for next year’s Olympic Marathon.
If everything goes according to plan, Van Zyl will give birth by mid-September. Parry hopes she will be able to resume her training in November and will be ready to attempt to qualify in April in one of the smaller European marathons.
“What counts in Irvette’s favour is that, because she has been doing quality training until now, she has not lost much of her fitness. During the next few weeks I would like her to continue her training on an indoor cycle,” he concluded.
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