Considering the athletic items at the Paris Olympic Games starting on Thursday 1 August, here is a question for sports boffins – who are the only two South African female athletes to rank in the top 20 in their respective events?

The answer is two local women athletes from Pretoria. First, there is Prudence Sekgodiso, who clocked a time of 1:57.26 over 800 metres, the third fastest time this season; and then there is Marione Fourie, who ran 12.49s in the 100m-hurdles. It is one of the 15 fastest times so far.

So, sports fans should be sure to watch these two Pretorians’ heroics in Paris. If nothing unforeseen happens, both could compete in the Olympic finals. As it said, once in a final, anything could happen.

Fourie, trained by Jaun Strydom at Tuks, certainly has been in splendid form since recovering from an injury. She podiumed in all nine races, winning five, while she was second once and third on four occasions. Her slowest race was 13.03s, and her fastest was 12.49s, a new South African record.

Her times in the last four European races were 12.60s, 12.49s, 12.56s and 12.50s. Being faster than 12.60s is sort of a benchmark when competing in the 100m hurdles. At the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and 2017 World Champs, a time of 12.55 seconds would have been good enough to win silver, and during the 2020 Tokyo Games, bronze. A time of 12.49s would have meant Fourie would have finished fourth at the 2024 World Champs in Budapest.

According to Strydom, the goal is for Fourie to run in the final at the Paris Games.

“To do so means Marione needs to be fast, really fast. The 100m hurdles is currently one of the most competitive events in women’s athletics. The time gap between the world’s 15 fastest athletes is a mere 0.24s. Marione might have to come close to running a personal best time to qualify for the final,” Strydom explained.

Strydom ascribes his athlete’s speedy heroics to her being very disciplined and focused.

“What helps is that Marione utterly trusts me as her coach. She is also very driven. She wants to be one of the best. It helps that she has “BMT” (big match temperament). She is not allowing herself to be intimidated by her opponents’ reputations. All that matters to her is to execute each to near perfection,” he remarked.

So, do not be surprised if the determined Marione Fourie becomes one of the South African surprise packages at this year’s Games in Paris.

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