Marioné Fourie Shines with World-Leading Hurdles Time at Home Meet

At the McArthur Stadium in Potchefstroom, Marioné Fourie delivered a standout performance, clocking her fastest time on South African soil. Her 12.67-second finish in the 100m hurdles at the Hezekiel Sepeng Invitational on Wednesday evening currently ranks as the world’s best mark this season. Although this lead is expected to shift once athletes in the northern hemisphere commence their competitions, Fourie’s effortless technique over the barriers was the highlight of the event.

Effortless Speed and Confidence

Reflecting on her run, Fourie described the experience as being “in cruise control,” noting she held back and anticipates even faster times ahead. Holding the national record at 12.49 seconds, she expressed satisfaction with recent improvements, crediting adjustments made during training under her new coaching team.

New Coaching Partnership Driving Progress

Fourie’s collaboration with Dutch coach Laurent Meuwly-renowned for guiding elite athletes like Nadine Visser and Femke Bol-has been transformative. After the loss of her longtime coach last year and the departure of her subsequent mentor from the country, this fresh partnership is yielding positive results. Fourie’s traditionally smooth hurdling style has been enhanced by focusing on finer aspects such as speed endurance and race mechanics, which she says are “falling into place.”

Training Environment and Support System

While Fourie remains based at the University of Pretoria (Tuks), she spent the pre-season training camp in Potchefstroom alongside the Dutch national team from November through January. When training solo, her fiancé assists by recording her sessions, helping her analyze and refine her technique. She has her sights set on a major competition scheduled for November 26.

Jo-Ané du Plessis Overcomes Setbacks to Win Javelin

Olympic silver medallist Jo-Ané du Plessis claimed victory in the women’s javelin with a top throw of 57.54 meters. Despite losing valuable training time due to a lower back issue, she and her coach, Terseus Liebenberg, were pleased with the performance. Du Plessis described the enforced two-week rest as a first in her career, which disrupted her rhythm and timing but did not constitute a serious injury.

Looking ahead, she remains optimistic about regaining full form and building momentum throughout the season.

Other Notable Performances at the Invitational

Bradley Nkoana, a key member of South Africa’s 4x100m relay squad that secured silver at the 2024 Olympics and gold at the 2025 World Relays, posted the fastest time in the men’s 100m dash with 10.13 seconds. Veteran sprinter Wayde van Niekerk won his heat in 10.17 seconds but acknowledged there is room for improvement in his race execution.

In field events, 2017 world long jump champion Luvo Manyonga triumphed with a leap of 7.98 meters. Meanwhile, Prudence Sekgodiso, the reigning 2025 world indoor 800m champion, secured the women’s 800m title in 2:00.50.