Honouring Elana Meyer

The
gsport…for Girls! Initiative was delighted to honour one of South Africa’s
greatest female distance runners, Elana Meyer, who was inducted into the gsport
Hall of Fame at the start of Women’s Month. Elana was honoured for her
contribution to sport and her achievements in distance running, in an extended
career which saw her break a host of local and international records.

Elana gave South
Africans a reason to feel like they belong, when she won South Africa’s first
Olympic medal since readmission, claiming silver in the 10 000 metres final at
the Barcelona Games in 1992 – the defining moment of her career.

Reflecting on being
allowed to compete at the Olympics, Elana said: "It was amazing. I kept telling
myself, ‘It is true, it is true, I am here.’ It was very emotional. I had
waited such a long time."

Elana discovered her
talent for running at an early age. At 13, she entered and won her first
official race – the FOOT OF AFRICA half marathon. Soon
after started competing against Zola Budd, who dominated South African
athletics in the 1980s. Also during the 1980s, Elana achieved great success at
national level, and was awarded her Springbok colours as a junior athlete.

Between 1992, when she
exploded onto the international scene, and 2005, when she retired, Elana
performed consistently well on the world stage and was a feared and respected
competitor wherever she competed. At the age of 35, Elana broke the South
African national 10km record in Budapest,
and continued to race successfully until her retirement three years later.

Elana officially retired
from racing in January 2005, but one thing remains certain: she will continue
to live life to the fullest. Elana believes that she now has the chance and
opportunity to invest her energy and experience into projects that can inspire,
empower and encourage others to similarly live life to the fullest.

Having received so much
encouragement and support from all South Africans during her years of domestic
and international racing, Elana is now intent on making a positive contribution
to the country she loves so dearly.

As South Africa’s athletes go for gold in Beijing, gsport speaks to
Elana Meyer, gsport’s 2008 Hall of Fame inductee, the woman who gave South
Africans a reason to once again believe in the Olympic Games.

Congratulations on being inducted into the gsport
Hall of Fame. What has been the driving force behind your personal and
competitive success?

The biggest learning’s and lessons in my life came through my sport. To
have dreams and goals, to take brave steps into the unknown , not to be scared
to fail and to have the right attitude in life and the belief and confidence My
mother is the person with the best ATTITUDE I have ever met and was the best
role model I could ask for.

Penny Heyns was gsport’s inaugural Hall of Fame
inductee while Hazel Gumede was inducted in 2007: What do their accomplishments
mean to you?

They are both great inspirations and I feel greatly honored to join them
on the Hall of Fame

Tell us more about your work at the JAG Foundation,
and your role in its various programmes?

We launched the Foundation in April last year and use sport as vehicle to
empower the youth WE believe that sport liberates potential, not only
physically but also psychologically. I head up the Foundation and play a role
on all the different levels from implementing programs to the fundraising and
marketing side.

How does the JAG Foundation contribute to the
betterment of South Africa’s
young girls and women?

WE support the message to girls that you can achieve in life whatever you
want to, the programs gives girls the confidence to believe that and then live
it.

Why do you promote sport to disadvantaged persons:
How can sport assist our country’s most needy?

We focus on the areas at highest risk and work with the Dept of Education
to generate sporting opportunities. There are loads of unutilized talents but
sport is also a great school to learn valuable life lessons that can be
transferred into all other areas of life.

You’ve recently become a mother: Is this your first
child, how old is he, what is his name?

Christopher will be one year old on Mon 11 August he is our little
prince.

What has motherhood taught you?

Since he arrived a month early a year ago, I have learned that I need to
be more flexible, and also the lesson of being unselfish.

Who are some of the women you have admired over the years?

When I started running Sarina Cronje was a role model for me, and I also
competed against Zola Budd since I was 13,14 and that also had a big impact on
my career.

What is the greatest benefit that you have received, which resulted from your
pursuit of excellence as an athlete?

A platform and network to make a much bigger impact.

How relevant is a person’s state of mind, in
pursuing a dream?

That is almost solely the determining factor.

How does one build confidence in yourself?

Take little brave steps forward and as you succeed it will build and feed
confidence.

What is the secret to success?

A great attitude, toughness to see it through when it is easier to give
up and to stay true to yourself and the people that helped you in the process.

Who has inspired you most throughout your career?

Many people, from role models to my family and my coach.

The list of races published on your website is
astounding: What is the most obvious lesson as you look over that list, viewed
with the benefit of hindsight?

I learned at a young age that I have to compete with the right attitude,
do it with all the guts and determination – only then you can look back and say
that you have given it your best and if you did not win it wasn’t because you
did not give your best effort but because I was beaten by someone better on the
day.

What does it mean to be the first South African
medalist following our country’s re-introduction at the Olympic Games?

It was the emotional highlight of my career, it was ore than a running
event. There was a lot of politics, uncertainty and excitement that accompanied
that medal.

How much time do you find for running these days,
considering your career and family commitments?

I’m still passionate about being fit, running in the nature as it is
still the place where I get energized, but do not spend as much time doing it
as I equally love spending my spare time with Christopher there I try to also
combine it and often take him with in my Baby Jogger.

What are your current career commitments?

I would like to see that through JAG and the programs that we implement
that kids , especially girls enjoy being active, choose a sport and to become
confident happy children that believe in their dreams, and that are prepared to
work hard to achieve it.

What have been your top three career highlights?

To get the
Olympic medal, to be a world champion and to break six world records

Do you feel the gsport initiative is living up to
its aim of raising the profile of women in sport?

Absolutely,
it still has got a way to go but what a great initiative to grow awareness,
create interest and to be a source of information

What can South Africa
do to improve the state of
women’s sport in South
Africa?

More parents
can encourage their kids

Have you already achieved your greatest ambition? If
so, please tell us more about it!

I want to
touch people I meet in a positive way where other feels encouraged and inspired
and belief that they can be the person they really want to to achieve what they
want to and to life the live they have imagined.