Irvette van Zyl has just set a new 50km world record.
Gqeberha, South Africa (24 May 2021) – Irvette van Zyl (33) obliterated the women’s 50km ultra-marathon world record as she powered to victory in Sunday’s Nedbank Runified-race in Gqeberha.
The 33-year-old South African, who’s training between four and five hours a day, completed the course along Marine Drive, in an incredible eye-popping three hours, four minutes and 23 seconds.
“I was shocked as she was initially actually allowed to do only 30 kilometres,” says L.J. van Zyl, her husband of nine years, a hurdler and a lecturer at the University of Pretoria.
“She then asked the organisers of the event if she can complete it, whereas they said ‘go for it’.
“It’s not all day you can have a world record attempt, I’m very, very pleased for her,” he said to goodthingsguy.com.
Super-fit Irvette says she was surprised too: “My legs were still aching from my previous race about two weeks ago, so I was a bit brittle. But otherwise, I felt good, I felt amazing”.
L.J. says their “high demanding careers” and parenthood are keeping them busy.
“Both of our parents are not staying nearby. Her mom and dad are in Johannesburg, mine in Bloemfontein, so we have to juggle everything here in Tshwane, the whole time”.
The mother-of-two, who in 2020, had chondroplasty with stem sells injected in her tibia and femur to grow new cartilages, recently qualified to represent South Africa at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics in the women’s marathon.
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