Rikenette born to run
Ankle surgery three years ago left her fighting hard to get back to the top.
Though she may not look it at first glance – her diminutive frame belying her explosive power – Rikenette Steenkamp is one of South Africa’s fastest rising track and field stars, with her dash of speed and nimble technique proving a lethal combination on the domestic athletics circuit.
Witnessing her control as she glides over the barriers in her specialist 100m hurdles discipline, it’s hard to believe that just two years ago the 25-year-old speedster from Pretoria could hardly walk and her promising career was hanging by a thread.
Turn back the clock to 2009 and Steenkamp was already showing tremendous potential as a teenager.
At the age of 16 she reached the semifinals at the World Youth Championships in Bressanone, and the following year she made a statement by winning the national junior and senior titles.
As a senior athlete, she went on to enjoy a breakthrough campaign in 2014 when she won the African title in Marrakech in 13.26 seconds, displaying tremendous grit to triumph in a tightly contested battle for the podium places which was decided in a blanket finish.
Returning to the Moroccan city the following month, she lowered her person- al best to 13.16 to finish fifth at the IAAF Continental Cup.
With her track career taking flight, however, Steenkamp was struck by injury and her ambitions were derailed.
After struggling to train throughout the 2015 season, due to a persistent pain in her foot, she ultimately opted to undergo ankle surgery in 2016 to remove a bone.
Following a lengthy rehabilitation process, during which she had to learn to walk properly again, the Tuks athlete regained fitness in the swimming pool before returning to the track.
Making her competitive comeback early last year, after two full seasons on the sidelines, Steenkamp made her intentions clear with a superb 2017 campaign, breaking the 13-second barrier for the first time when she clocked 12.99 seconds at a meeting in Ostrava.
“The one thing that kept me going is that I feel I was born to run,” Steenkamp said after making her thunderous return to the sport.
“I also have unfinished business on the track, and I have definite goals I want to achieve.”
Having knocked patiently for some time on the door of the 20-year-old national record of 12.94 held by Corien Botha, all the cards eventually feel into place this season and Steenkamp cracked the mark when she charged over the line in 12.91 in Prague in June.
As if bolstered by her milestone effort, she went even quicker last month, ripping another chunk off the SA record by stopping the clock at 12.81 in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
Having finished second at the African Championships in Asaba last week, Steenkamp was set to make another appearance at the quadrennial Continental Cup competition in Ostrava next month, with her silver medal earning her a place in the African team.
“I want to finish the season strong and Ostrava will be a great opportunity for me to do that,” she said.
If Steenkamp continues her rapid progress under the guidance of coach Hennie Kriel, she could be challenging the world’s top high hurdlers within the next couple of seasons.
Holding a nippy personal best of 11.46 in the flat 100m sprint, which she set in Pretoria last year, she also remains a useful prospect for the SA women’s 4x100m relay team which is starting to show promise at international level.
For now, Steenkamp is just taking it in her stride, one barrier at a time, after fighting to give herself a second chance.
“I started competing late this season, so I still feel fresh and I don’t have any niggles or injuries,” she said.
“I’m really happy about that because it means I can build another season on this one next year, and that’s the most important thing for me right now.”