Cian Oldknow excited to be back on the road after injury setback

Oldknow, who was South Africa’s fastest finisher in the marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympics, enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2024, winning several marathons and earning her first Olympic qualification. 

During her recovery, Oldknow also got married and is looking forward to an exciting new chapter in her running career. 

"So, 2024 was a fantastic year, I think we did a lot of racing to try and get into the Olympics and be prepared to have my best race there and I think that took a lot out of me than we realised,” Oldknow said. 

“So, when I started last year I got a stress reaction, I got quite sick, I got a virus and I think the whole year I was fighting a lot of niggles and a lot of sickness. Same thing this year we started the year and I tore my plant ligament, so I couldn't run for 14 weeks again but I'm feeling great, I'm feeling really, really healthy and I feel like I'm finally in a position where I've worked through what 2024 took out of me. 

“I think I've restored everything and I'm ready to take on everything again but I think I did so much in 2024 to be prepared but I don't think I did enough recovery at the other side to come into 2025 feeling good."

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Oldknow has already set her sights on the Los Angeles Olympic Games as she targets a second consecutive Olympic appearance in the marathon.

"That is definitely the plan I missed racing competitively, like, I'm getting back to it but it's gonna take a lot of patience to get back to where I was but the plan is to just keep chipping away,” she added.

“I would love to in the next few months, not this year but probably next year, tackle another marathon and go for a really good time. Go for a time that will hopefully help me qualify for the next Olympics and just take it a week at a time."