'It's sad but I had to think about my career' - van Zyl explains Two Oceans withdrawal

Irvette Van Zyl says although its an unfortunate circumstance, withdrawing from running the Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon is a good career move. With the less than a month to go to The World's Most Beautiful Ultra Marathon which is scheduled to take place on 15 April in Cape Town, Van Zyl dropped a bombshell on social media when she confirmed that she won't participate in this year's edition of the race.

The woman who who joined the Hollywood Athletics Club in January after over a decade with Nedbank Running Club says in recent weeks she has had to come into terms that her foot injury was too serious and requires time off from running to treat it.

van Zyl is focusing on recovery to be fit in time for the second half of 2023. Photo Credit: Supplied.

"Its sad that I've had to withdraw from Two Oceans this year. I think from June last year, I have been experiencing ankle injury but I thought it's not something big," said Van Zyl who recorded a resounding performance during last year's Two Oceans when finishing as the runners up with the splendid time of 3:30:31.

"Then I consulted to get proper advice which identified that the problem was with the foot. It's a tough decision but I had to think about my career, which comes first. I must heal properly in order to be level best to put good performances on the road," she told #TheTopRunner.

Irvette van Zyl went toe-to-toe with Gerda Steyn in an exciting Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon race last year. Although she finished second behind steyn, van Zyl's 3:30:31 was also inside the previous 33-year-old record held by Frith van der Merwe. Photo Credit: Two Oceans Media.

With van Zyl officially out of the 56km race, she will now on a long recovery and the year that lies ahead. The 35-year-old Olympian says her focus is to focus on getting on a bigger international stage event.

"I must think about the second half of the year now. With the injury I'm experiencing, I might compete in May. But I have got big ambitions this year including representing the country at the World Champs in Budapest in August. So my focus lies there for now. I must see how the injury responds but I'm hoping to compete soon," she said.