Exactly two. That is how many South African female hurdlers managed to dip under 13 seconds in the 100m-hurdles, but if Marione Fourie can have her way, this statistic will change in 2022. 

During the recent AGN League Meeting at the Bestmed TuksAthletics Stadium, she ran 13.29s. It is one of the 11 fastest times in the history of South African athletics. The 19-year-old, Tuks student-athlete is excited to improve her personal best time by 0.16s so early in the season. To her, it is the start of things to come. She knows she can run faster. It is only a matter of doing the small things right. 

"I definitely did not have the best of starts. I have been faster out of the blocks. My execution going over the third last hurdle was also far from perfect. I lost time. If I can execute the perfect race, I will dip under 13 seconds. That is the goal anyway."

Fourie might race on Wednesday at Tuks again. Her first "big race" will be next weekend when she competes in the Athletics Gauteng North - AGN Championships (11-12 March) at the Bestmed TuksAthletics Stadium in Pretoria. There is a chance that the South African record holder, Rikenette Steenkamp, might also be racing. Fourie is actually hoping that she will. 

"I don't really have role models, but there are people who inspire me. Rikenette is one of them. I admire never say die attitude. She had so many setbacks over the years. Lesser athletes would have quit, but not Rikenette. She had to relearn to walk after undergoing an operation a few years back. Last year she had Covid. Stills she is passionate about running that perfect race. If the two of us can race together, I am sure one or both of us are going to clock fast times."

During last year's AGN Champs, Steenkamp won in 13.23s. Fourie was second in 13.26s. Unfortunately, the wind from behind was too strong.

In the history of South African athletics, Steenkamp (Tuks) and Corien Botha are the only ones to run times faster than 13 seconds.

Fourie had a near dream season last year. Winning seven of the ten races she competed in. It meant winning three national titles (SA senior and junior as well as SA students). She won her heat at the World Junior Championships in Nairobi and finished third in the semifinals. It means she was the ninth-best junior hurdler in the world last year. 

"The World Champs was undoubtedly my most formidable challenge because I allowed my nerves to get the better of me. I could hardly sleep the night before I raced. The good thing is that I have learned a lot from experience. The next time I represent South Africa, I will be more focussed,” promises the BSc Sports Science student at Tuks.