Irvette Van Zyl – It bothers me not to have won the Two Oceans Marathon

Despite a glittering career that includes four Olympic appearances and multiple national titles, Van Zyl says it still “bothers” her that she has never managed to conquer the iconic 56km ultra in Cape Town.

Married to former South African 400m hurdles champion LJ van Zyl, Van Zyl has often found herself playing second fiddle to her Hollywood Athletics Club teammate Gerda Steyn, who has dominated the race with a record six victories.

Her closest brush with glory was a runner-up finish a few years ago.

Last year, injury forced her out of the race before the finish line – another painful chapter in her Two Oceans journey.

“Of course, it bothers me that I have never won it despite running it for a few years now,” Van Zyl said. “The goal is to win it, but I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself. I just want to be there healthy because every time I always have a struggle. I’m hoping this year, fingers crossed, I can produce my best on the day.”

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The 38-year-old mother of two boys is building steadily towards this year’s showdown on 11 April.

On Sunday, she finished ninth in 33:57 at the Absa Run Your City Gqeberha 10km, using the race as part of her preparations.

Two weeks ago, the three-time Spar Women’s 10km Grand Prix series champion claimed victory at the Balwin Run Series Pretoria marathon, clocking 2:49:05 in her first competitive 42.2km of the season. Yet, in typical Van Zyl fashion, she downplayed the result.

“I don’t really see it as a win. It was more like a long training run and good preparation for Two Oceans,” she explained. “I actually felt tired afterwards compared to last year, but that shows I’m in a better condition than I was previously. I’m just trying to keep the momentum going and take it one step at a time.”

Having recently completed a heavy long run block, she admitted that lining up in Gqeberha meant racing on tired legs – but she was satisfied with the outcome.

“I knew I would be running on tired legs. I’m happy with what I did. Right now, it’s all about building towards Cape Town.”

For Van Zyl, the Two Oceans Marathon is more than just another race. It is the one crown missing from a decorated career – and in 2026, she hopes to finally silence the doubt that has lingered for years.