When Marlie Viljoen settles in her starting blocks to race the 400 metres at the World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr on Monday, she will not think about the fact that she is the defending world student champion.
Of course, the Tuks athlete is going to run to win. To be a champion, after all, is the dream of any athlete. But on Monday, the most crucial thing for Viljoen is to celebrate every moment of her love for running. That’s what happens after you have overcome a setback.
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Think about it. If there’s one word every athlete hopes to never utter, it’s injury, because it can feel like a death sentence.
Just ask Viljoen. In March this year, the Tuks student was in high spirits and with good reason. She ran the 400m in 51.42 seconds. The time is a personal best. She was convinced she was capable of even faster times, because her 51.42s race felt oh so effortless.
It didn’t happen; within days, every step she took on the track was accompanied by pain. As it was, Viljoen tried to convince herself that it wasn’t that bad and kept going. It wasn’t until after a race in Botswana that she realised that things couldn’t go on like this. The pain was unbearable.
She went to the doctor. After a scan, she was told she had suffered a stress fracture. For three weeks, she had to get by on crutches.
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“It was as if my world had come crashing down. I was in the best shape of my life, but now I couldn’t participate in the South African Championships and the national student meet. The worst thing was that I had to withdraw from the World Relays after being a member of the 4x400m team that had broken the South African record that season.
“I almost gave in to total self-pity. Sitting in the stands watching the women’s 400m finals at the national championships was agonising. I should have been on the track racing.
“Luckily, I realised that feeling sorry for myself wouldn’t get me anywhere. I began doing my rehabilitation exercises with dedication. I worked out at the gym, using weights, rowing, the treadmill, cycling, and swimming. The one thing I missed was not being able to run. It made me realise that I was truly an athlete. Running is my passion, and if my body allows me, I will continue to run for some time to come.”
This past weekend in Italy, Viljoen ran the 400 meters for the first time in three months. She was fifth in a time of 53.03 seconds.
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“The injury could be a blessing in disguise. If I hadn’t been injured, I would have put so much pressure on myself to defend the World Student title and run even faster times. I am more open-minded now. My only goal is to be the best I can in every race. Everyone knows that in the final, anything can happen. Hopefully, I can make the South Africans proud again. In the end, all that really matters is knowing that I gave it my all.”
Yesterday at the World University Games, Hannah Pearse qualified for the 200-metre backstroke final, swimming a personal best time of 2 minutes 10.45 seconds. Pieter Coetze qualified for the men’s 100 metre backstroke semifinal. His time of 53.34 seconds was the fastest in the heats.
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