South African Olympic silver medallist Elana Meyer will be leading a group of 120 girls in the 5km race at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon over the weekend.
The group is part of Endurocad, a non-profit founded by Meyer and Cape Town Marathon director Janet Welham, that focuses on developing the next generation of South African athletes.
At the heart of this effort is the “Zebra Tribe,” a group of dedicated runners that have become a familiar sight at the marathon.
This year marks the fourth consecutive time the Zebra Tribe will take part in the event, using their participation as a platform to raise funds for Endurocad initiatives.
Meyer’s connection to the Zebra Tribe runs deep. The group was formed in 2013, and its unique name stems from an iconic moment when Meyer’s long-time running rival, Zola Budd, presented her and her teammates with miniature zebra carvings during the marathon’s early days.
That symbolic gesture has since become part of the tribe’s identity, linking two of South Africa’s most legendary runners in the shared goal of supporting the country’s rising stars.
Meyer, who won a silver medal in the 10,000m at the 1992 Olympics, is not just a figurehead for the Zebra Tribe but also an active participant. This year, she will join fellow South African running icon Blanche Moila, the first black female athlete to be awarded national colours, as well as global business executive Rhonda Veetre, in the marathon’s various race categories.
Beyond the star power of Meyer and her peers, the focus remains on the youth. Endurocad’s ACHIEVE Pathway Programme, which aims to develop “strong, self-sufficient young women through running”, will see 120 girls participate in the 5km race.
The programme provides the girls with the skills, confidence, and opportunities to make a positive impact on and off the track.
Through the elite athlete development and educational bursary programme, Endurocad offers young athletes the chance to combine high-performance training with academic or vocational education.
This approach has already produced a string of national representatives across various sports, with many going on to represent South Africa on the international stage.