Irvette Van Zyl skips Cape Town Marathon for Soweto Marathon

By Charles Baloyi
15th September 2024

Four-time Olympian Irvette Van Zyl has opted out of the sold-out Cape Town Marathon in October to focus on the Soweto Marathon in November.

After completing her first Olympic marathon in Paris last month, Van Zyl is setting her sights on securing her fifth Soweto Marathon title.

She is among the favourites to win the R250,000 prize in what will be her final competitive race of the year.

“I’m eagerly anticipating the Soweto Marathon and have decided not to participate in the Cape Town Marathon next month. My focus is on conserving all my energy to secure that fifth title. I truly enjoy running in the People’s Race and am excited about the prospect of experiencing the community support along the streets once again this year,” Van Zyl told SABC Sport.

“While I enjoyed competing in the Olympic Games and feel well-rested now, I chose not to race in Cape Town to avoid overexerting myself and to stay fresh for Soweto.”

This year’s People’s Race features a revised route, beginning at Golden Highway and concluding at Nasrec, leading Van Zyl to anticipate a more challenging event than usual.

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Although she is eager to take on the new course, she acknowledges that it might present some difficulties.

The race offers three distances: 42.2km, 21.1km, and 10km, with organizers aiming for 20,000 entries this year.

"I can't control the route changes, but I'm hopeful they won't disrupt me too much. I still need to run the course and assess the modifications. I truly enjoy this race; it has become a significant part of my year,” she added.

“As my final race of the year, I appreciate the unique atmosphere Soweto offers. The energy on race day is something that brings me joy. The competition will be tough with strong runners from Kenya, Lesotho, and the Nedbank Running Club's formidable Ethiopian athletes.

“My preparations are underway, following my usual routine with no major changes. I'm fully committed to the Soweto Marathon and don't want to risk anything. I might fit in one 10km race as part of my training to ensure I'm in top form for Soweto.”