Former African and South African junior hurdles champion Taylon Bieldt is ready to play her part as Tuks set out to defend their Varsity Athletics title at the University of Pretoria on Friday evening.
Many athletes would describe a year in which they won an African and South African title as a success, but not Bieldt as she knows she has not performed at her best.
She will be highly motivated for Friday evening when she represents Tuks in the 100m hurdles.
The fact that it is TuksAthletics centenary year means there is so much more at stake as the “Striped-Up Team” wants to defend their Varsity title.
“The 100m hurdles is going to be an exciting race especially since Maryke Brits (Kovsies) is also racing. Maryke is an awesome competitor. I will have to be on top of my game if I want to win.”
Bieldt was disappointed on how 2017 played out for her on the track.
“By the time I ran my last race I was so frustrated as I started off running 13.80s in the 100m hurdles and finished off still running the same time,” said Bieldt who won the African and South African junior titles.
In hindsight, Bieldt sees 2017 as the watershed year of her hurdling career.
“I was on a high in 2016 after setting a new South African junior record running a time of 13.35s in the semifinals of the World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
“I finished 7th in the final which meant I was the 7th fastest junior athlete in the world. But unfortunately, then I allowed myself to get sidetracked. From now on I am only focused on what I can control.”
The goal the Tuks athlete has set herself is to try and get as close as possible to running times close to 13 seconds.
“If I can do that, I will be able to compete in Europe which will be next big challenge in my athletics career.”
– African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Herman Gibbs.
