If 20-year-old Marione Fourie has her way, there might be a South African record on the cards when she lines up to race the 100m hurdles during the South African Champs in Potchefstroom.
The Tuks Sports Science student is undoubtedly in good form. Two weeks ago, she set a personal best over 100m, running 11.93s in Sasolburg. On the same day, she also clocked 12.99s in the 100m-hurdles.
"If the weather allows it, I believe I can run 12.81s or at least come close to doing so," says Fourie.
The former Tuks athlete, Rikenette Steenkamp, set the South African 100m hurdles record in 2018 in Switzerland, running 12.81s.
Fourie has dominated the 100m hurdles racing over the last three years in South Africa. Since 2021, she has won 21 of the 23 races she competed in. She was last beaten in South Africa on 19 June 2021. Her current best time is 12.93s. However, the two-time South African champion ran a wind-assisted time of 12.82s last year in Mauritius.
During last year's World Championships in the USA, she clocked 12.94s in the heats and 12.93s in the semifinals.