Name: Mari Rabie

Age: 30

Movepretty was born when I was studying an MBA at Oxford University. My extensive research had revealed a gap in the South African athleisure market. More and more women want to exercise in fashionable and comfortable clothing, as opposed to boring black tights and an old, loose T-shirt they stole from their boyfriend’s wardrobe.

Annelize Kotzé is my friend, a fashion designer, and the co-founder and CEO of MOVEPRETTY. She is the heart of the company, and runs the business while I work full time at an investment holdings company. (I retired from competing professionally in sport after the 2016 Summer Olympics.)

I’m inspired by my curiosity to see how far I can go. My vision for MOVEPRETTY was to encourage all women to feel confident and beautiful when they exercise, and to embrace a healthier lifestyle. Recognising our economy is in desperate need of employment opportunities, we also wanted to create jobs.

What makes MOVEPRETTY unique is that we aim to be South Africa’s favourite athleisure brand, at a reasonable price point. We want to be top of mind within the local market.

When we design we think of comfort, cut and confidence.

My favourite piece is the MOVEPRETTY Icy Pink Elastic Tank.

My greatest achievement is competing in the 2016 Summer Olympics. I’d had a horrible experience at the 2008 Summer Olympics, held in Beijing, which meant I couldn’t compete for the next eight years. Then, I suffered from heart disease. I only had a short time in which to qualify for the Olympics in 2016. All things considered, coming 11th in the triathlon was a great personal achievement!

I’ve been asked if I’ll make a comeback – especially since the three girls who beat me in Rio are starting families this year. ‘The ice cream has to be finished while it’s still enjoyable’ is a phrase I live by. If I continue to race this year, there’s no doubt I’ll achieve a top-10 ranking, if not a top-five later on. But triathlon was part of my life. I’m 30 years old, hold three degrees, and now want to pursue new challenges.

For more information, visit movepretty.com.

WIN!

Movepretty are giving away one pair of Zepants and a cap to a lucky runner. Simply fill out the form below, and you could win!

TERMS & CONDITIONS: *This competition will close on Friday, 21 April 2017. Winners will be chosen by means of a random-number generator and prizes are limited to two winners only. No correspondence will be entered into. Prizes are not transferable and may not be converted into cash. If email addresses are provided, you may receive promotional information from Media24. Winners will be notified by telephone or email, and will forfeit prize if unreachable or if prize is not claimed within 4 weeks of notification.

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