Charné du Plessis

Charné Eileen Du Plessis (née Swart; born 2 January 2002) is a South African middle-distance runner.^[1]

She was a bronze medalist at the delayed 2021 Summer World University Games in the 800 metres, held in Chengdu in August 2023.^[2] However, her performance also included by a gesture of compassion after she crossed the line when, with Swiss athlete Veronica Vancardo, she raced back to help the final finisher, Soudi-Thasmy Moussa of Comoros, who had collapsed on the track and helped her to her feet, both earning a special Fair Play award for their actions.^[3][4]

In April 2024, she won the 800 metres at the South African Championships in Pietermaritzburg, in a time of 2:01:81.^[5] She qualified for the final and placed sixth overall in the 800 metres at the 2024 African Championships in Douala, Cameroon, running 2:03.49 to win her heat and 2:02.43 in the final.^[6]

In March 2025, she ran 800 meters in 1:59.86 in Pretoria to become only the sixth South African female athlete to go underneath the two-minute mark for the distance.^[7] The following month, she finished runner-up to Prudence Sekgodiso in the 800 metres at the South African Championships in Potchefstroom, in a personal best time of 1:58.98.^[8][9] The pair later returned to finish first and second in the 1500 metres, with Swart-Du Plessis having another second place in a time of 4:12.30.^[10] Her time for the 800 metres went below the automatic standard for the 2025 World Championships.^[11]

She competed at the 2025 Summer World University Games in Bochum, Germany, placing sixth overall in the final of the 800 metres.^[12][13] She ran in the women's 800 metres at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan.^[14][15]

She is a medical student at the University of Pretoria. She married fellow runner Chris du Plessis in March 2025.^[16][17]