Elana Meyer
From WikiRun
| Elana Meyer | |
| Event | marathon |
|---|---|
| Nationality | South Africa |
| Born | 1966 |
Elana Meyer has been among the world’s elite women runners for over 10 years, competing when she was younger at middle distances from 1500 to 5000 meters, and moving on to longer distances as she grew older. She was born in late 1966, but she remains one of the world’s best half-marathon and marathon runners.
At home, Meyer has dominated South African athletics, winning over 20 South African titles on the track, in the half-marathon, 15 kilometres, cross-country and marathon. On the international stage she has outlasted many of her former rivals. She has held world records at 15 kilometres and the half marathon, and boasts five of the 15 best half marathon times in history, a consistency unmatched by anyone else.
The defining moment of Meyer’s career, however, came way back in 1992. Competing in the Barcelona 1992 Summer Olympics, South Africa’s first Games since 1960, Meyer was the country’s best hope for a gold medal. It seemed the entire nation was glued to their television sets as the athletes set off in the 10000 meters.
It quickly became clear that it would be won by one of two athletes, Ethiopia’s Derartu Tulu or Meyer. Eventually, with one lap remaining, Tulu tore around the track to record a final lap of 64 seconds and claim the gold.
Showing her versatility, Meyer returned to winning form in the same year and the following year with African titles in the 1 500 metres. In 1993 and 1994 she again showed how adaptable she could be when she finished sixth in the World Cross Country Championships. On the track at the Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Meyer took second place in the 10000 meters after Scotland’s Yvonne Murray.
Moving on to the longer distances, Meyer finished third in the prestigious Boston Marathon. There were two big highlights for Meyer in 1994, however. She was crowned World Half Marathon champion after covering the 21.1 kilometre distance in 1:08:36, and at the World Cup in London she ran a stunning race win in the 10000 meters.
In 1995, Meyer finished second in the Boston Marathon. She also ended fifth in the 10000 metres at the World Track and Field Championships. In 1996 she finished sixth in the World Cross Country Championships. The following year Meyer claimed another runner-up finish in the Boston Marathon and took fifth place at the Tokyo International Women’s Marathon.
 Meyer wins Nortel Cherry Blossom 10M |
In 1998, she shifted her focus to the world’s largest marathon in Chicago, and ended third. 1999 proved to be a successful year for the South African star. She finished third again in the Chicago Marathon, running just three seconds faster than the previous year. At the London Marathon she finished fifth, while she showed her liking for Japan with a victory in the Tokyo Half Marathon.
Another good year followed in 2000 as Meyer competed successfully all over the world. In North America she finished fourth in the Chicago Marathon and tenth in the Boston Marathon. In the 2000 Summer Olympics she took eighth place in the 10000 metres in Sydney. In Asia she defended her title in the Tokyo Half Marathon and finished second in the Sapporo Half Marathon. In Africa she again won the South African championship 10000M. |
In 2001, Meyer claimed race victories in the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile, Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K, Miyazaki Ladies Half Marathon and Sendai Half Marathon. These victories went along with a third place finish in the Atlanta Peachtree 10K Road Race, seventh in the Lisbon Half Marathon and sixth at the World Half Marathon Championships.