The 21-year-old Marione Fourie set a new South African record yesterday in Switzerland when she won the 100m hurdles in a time of 12.55s.
Her winning time is 0.21s faster than Taylon Bieldt's record four weeks ago in Italy. The Tuks sports science student is now one of the world's ten fastest 100m hurdlers. Bieldt's time of 12.76s is one of the 25 fastest this season.
Fourie set the record in the heats of the Resisprint International, Stade de La Charrière, La Chaux-de-Fonds Meeting. Just more than an hour later, she won in 12.80s in the final. It was her third consecutive sub-13s race in Europe. The Tuks student has been victorious in 10 of the 11 hurdles races she has competed in this season. Fourie has also qualified for the World Champs in Budapest.
What is impressive about Fourie's performance is that she confidently predicted three weeks ago that she knows she is capable of dipping under 12.80s. And that she was planning to do so on 2 July. This morning she admits that she surprised herself yesterday.
"I had hoped to run 12.70s. I was amazed when I crossed the line and saw my time. It is a moment I will remember for some time to come. I could not believe what I had achieved. I was certainly not thinking about setting a record. I was only hoping for a breakthrough race. I am even more motivated now that it happened because the hard work and long hours pay off," said the South African champion.
It is hard to remember when last we had such a duel in South African women's athletics. For the matter, even in our men's athletics. Generally, when an athlete sets a national record, it stands for a year or more.
One of the recent exceptions was in 2015 when Akani Simbine and Henricho Bruintjies duelled it out over 100 metres. On 1 July that year, Simbine clocked 9.99s in Slovenia. Four days later, ironically, at the same meeting, Fourie set her record; Henricho Bruintjies ran 9.97s. That was not the end of it. Another four days later, Simbine equalled Bruintjies record by also running 9.97s. He did so at the World Student Games in Korea. Simbine won the gold medal.
This season Leandri Geel twice set new national records in the women's hammer throw within 11 days. On 1 April, she threw 65.18 metres and on 19 April, 66.11 metres.
The South African athletics statistician and podcaster Danie Cornelius, is quite excited about Fourie and Bieldt's 100m hurdles heroics.
"Their duel is going to be good for our women's athletics. They are proving to our young athletes that there is no reason why you can't compete against the world's best. I won't be surprised if the South African 100m hurdles record improves again. Taylon (Bieldt) is a fighter. She would want the record back.
"Few countries have two 100m-hurdles athletes who can clock times faster than 12.60s. As far as I know, it is only the USA. 12.55s is a fantastic time. They will medal if Marione or Taylon can come close to running 12.55s at the World Champs. Would not that be great? Especially considering that the 100m-hurdles has long been a forgotten event in South African athletics."
Fourie's next race is on Friday, when she competes in France.