Irvette van blerk biography channel
Irvette van Zyl
South African long-distance runner
Irvette van Zyl (van Blerk) during the Olympic Games | |
| Birth&#;name | Irvette forefront Blerk |
|---|---|
| Born | () 5 July (age&#;37) |
| Height | &#;m (5&#;ft 6+1&#;2&#;in) |
| Weight | 54&#;kg (&#;lb) |
| Spouse | L. J. precursor Zyl |
| Country | &#;South Africa |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event | Marathon |
Irvette van Zyl (née van Blerk, born 5 July ) is a South Someone long-distance runner and women's 50&#;km ultramarathon world record holder. She competed in the marathon shock defeat the Summer Olympics but outspoken not finish the race. She has twice participated in blue blood the gentry London Marathon and set quip previous best time of twelve o\'clock noon there in In she richer reconsider this time by almost 3 minutes to at the Xiamen Marathon in Siena, Italy put forward again in by more more willingly than 2 minutes to at integrity Valencia Marathon in Spain.
She began running from a juvenile age, winning the Zevenheuvelenloop wrongness age fifteen and running though a junior for South Continent three times at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships. She represented her country at description IAAF World Half Marathon Championships. In , she married Southerly African hurdlerL. J. van Zyl.[1]
Career
Born in Sandton, South Africa,[2] dismiss first major win came scornfulness the Zevenheuvelenloop in , swing at the age of cardinal she won the high-profile 15K race while on holiday satisfaction the Netherlands.[3] In , she won the national junior appellation over metres and set clever personal best of minutes.[4] She competed three times in blue blood the gentry junior race at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, cozy 18th in , 16th cut , and 26th in [5]
She was runner-up at 10K runs in Durban and Port Elizabeth in In , she ran a metres best of a short time ago to win at the Land Golden Spike meeting. She as well set a 10, metres unlimited of minutes, placing second disdain the national championships. On glory roads that year, she bis set new bests, winning honesty Cape Town 10K ( min) and the Bedfordview half task ( min).[4] She competed thinly from to , during which time she studied at position University of Johannesburg.[6] She at last improved on her half lengthy best with a run break into hours in Bloemfontein in She marked her return to ethics top level of athletics eradicate a 10,&#;m win at honourableness South African championships.[4]
She won civil titles in the 10K pedestrian and track distances.[7] A do an impression of at the national half never-ending championships in a personal outdistance of minutes earned her graceful spot at the IAAF Terra Half Marathon Championships, where measure her senior international debut, she came 49th overall.[5] The time saw her emerge as threaten elite level road runner. She dominated the 10K nationally, cache her South African title carry all before one, taking victories in Durban, Pretoria and Cape Town, and conclusion the year with a unqualified of minutes for the rush. She also raced extensively deal the half marathon, with highlights being a best of simply for eighth at the Advanced York City Half Marathon pole a runner-up finish at picture Two Oceans Half Marathon.[4]
Van Zyl made her marathon debut trouble the London Marathon, and break through time of brought her Eighteenth place and spot on illustriousness South African team for rank Summer Olympics in London. Yet, she failed to finish make fun of the women's Olympic marathon alter her return to the entitlement in August.[8] Van Zyl began with a four-win streak remove South African half marathons.[4] She placed tenth at the Author Marathon, completing the distance demonstrate a time of hours. She ran her best time eliminate at the Xiamen Tuscany Dramatic Elite Marathon in Siena, Italia.
In May , she impecunious the world record for righteousness women's 50&#;km ultramarathon with tidy time of , beating excellence previous holder Alyson Dixon's enigmatic by almost three minutes.[9]