Category: Features

Young track talent Ryan Mphahlela enjoyed a breakthrough 2017-2018 season on the track, and now looks set to take on the world. – BY MANFRED SEIDLER

Tembisa is a large township in the north of Kempton Park on the East Rand with a population of just under 500,000. It is also home to the Tembisa Athletics Club, which hosts the annual Tembisa Street Mile and 10km road race. the club also hosts a 5km time trial every Wednesday at the Living Waters Bible Study Centre, and on 10 January this year, 19-year-old Ryan Mphahlela made a massive statement as he flew to a time 14:39 to set a course record for the Time Trial. He had already represented SA at the 2016 African Cross Country Champs and 2017 World Cross Country Champs in his age category, but that time trial made the older runners sit up and take notice!

To prove this was no flash in the pan, Ryan then went on to destroy the field in the 1500m at the Central Gauteng Championships, in a race that included former SA Champion Folavio Sehole and Dumisane Hlaselo, who have been considered part of the big three in the event in SA for a number of years. Ryan was uncatchable, running from the front to win in 3:44.03, and it was that result more than his 5km time trial that prompted the organisers of the first Liquid Telecom Grand Prix event in Ruimsig on 1 March to allocate a starting berth to Ryan. He literally grabbed the opportunity with both hands, finishing fourth in a field that included the then U18 World Champion, George Manangoi of Kenya, who recently added the U20 World Title to his name, and Ronald Musagala of Uganda, who boasts a best of 3:33.65 for 1500m. A mere seven tenths of a second separated second from fourth.

More to Come
The pundits were even more impressed when Ryan once again showed his trademark never-say-day attitude a week later in the 3000m at the second Grand Prix meeting in Pretoria. He was the only athlete able to stay with World Championship 10,000m silver medallist, Joshua Cheptegei, who many believe will be the next force in world 5000/10,000m racing with the retirement of Britain’s Mo Farah, and the crowd were on their feet as Ryan tracked the Ugandan lap after lap.

Joshua eventually shook the youngster off with a final surge at the bell to win in 7:49.48, but Ryan was warmly applauded as he continued to chase the Ugandan down the home straight and finished second in 7:59.96. Having watched the young South African post a marvellous sub-eight in his debut at the distance, the Ugandan said, “He is a big talent. He shows no fear, and that is good. He will give some people a big scare in the years to come.” High praise indeed, but Ryan calmly took in all in stride. “I love to challenge myself, and racing Josh showed me I do not need to fear anyone. Respect yes, fear no.”

International Exposure
On the back of those two performances, Ryan was then invited to Europe to race in a series of middle distance events in Belgium and Holland, after he had represented SA again at the African Cross Country Champs. He won his first 1500m at the Nivelles Meeting International on 23 June, clocking 3:41.44, just a second off his lifetime best of 3:40.44. A week later he had to settle for fourth in his next 1500m with a time of 3:42.55. “I ran a tactically poor race there and paid the price. One thing I have learnt is that racing in Europe is different to racing in South Africa. Here I can play a big role in dictating the race, but in Europe there is so much more depth and I cannot lead from the front. It also shows I need to get stronger and faster.”

His final race in Europe was over 3000m on 7 July at the Hilversum Arena Games. This time he did lead from the front, clocking 7:53.96 for a huge, satisfying personal best. “That is my season for 2018. Now I will prepare for the 4km at the SA Cross Country Championships in September, which will be first attempt at a senior national title, and my focus will be on qualifying for the World Cross Country Championships. Then in 2019 I want the SA 5000m title. I think that will be my best event in the future, but I still want to qualify for the 1500m at the World Championships in Doha next year.”

Ironically, Ryan was a keen footballer and had no idea of his running talent until he was entered in a cross country race in Grade Four. “I was so shocked, but I won, and it was then that coach Elvis started coaching me and I’ve been with him ever since,” says Ryan. (That’s Elvis Innocent, the coach at Tembisa Athletics Club). It is here, in Tembisa, that this remarkable young talent is staying level-headed as he prepares himself to continue taking on the world’s ‘big guns,’ and after this season, they have been warned!

Ryan’s PB’s
1500m – 3:40.44
1 mile – 3:59.44
3000m – 7:53.96
5km – 14:39

IMAGES: Courtesy Ryan Mphahlela

Whether it is triathlons, trail running or life-saving competitions, Linda Detering has the talent and potential to become a major force in every sport she tries. – BY PJ MOSES

With her red hair blowing in the wind and a steely look in her eyes, Linda Detering has in a still short sporting career proven that she is a force to be reckoned with. Winning has become a bit of a habit, and she has collected a number of podiums over the course of the last two years, including taking first place over the short distances at the Old Mutual Two Oceans and Volunteer Wildfire Services (VWS) trail races in 2017. This year she maintained that form by placing second at the Two Oceans race, and once again taking victory at VWS.

Now most people would be happy with talent in one sport, but this 18-year-old ‘wunderkind’ decided to give multisport a go as well, after watching some of her friends participating in a triathlon. With the help of Mike Reddington of the Embark Triathlon Club, she was able to win the Freshpak Fitness Festival sprint triathlon last September, and followed that success by entering the IRONMAN 70.3 race in East London in January. Surprising even herself, she finished second in her age group, and earned herself a slot at the 70.3 World Championships to be held this coming September in PE. “I never expected to do that well. It was just a bucket list item that I wanted to tick off, but naturally I am happy and excited with how it all worked out in the end,” says Linda.

With that success still fresh, Linda took on a new challenge at the Walker Bay Extreme Big 6 Challenge earlier this year, where competitors had to do six events over four days. “It is a whole weekend of adventure and you have to do a mountain bike race, a swimming leg, a triathlon, a street mile run, a run/swim/run, and a trail run. It was tough and very tiring, but I managed to finish in second spot overall in the women’s division. It is not always about chasing podiums for me, but when it is there to take, I won’t let it slip by. It just adds to the fun I am having out there.”

GAME FOR ANYTHING
Born close to Munich in Germany, Linda and her family moved to Cape Town in 2011. The eldest of three kids, she’s always been active, with her main sport being horse-riding when still living in Germany. However, the warmer SA climate and the beautiful mountains around her Hout Bay home inspired her to try new sports, including running, cycling, swimming, surfing, lifesaving, water-skiing, paragliding and skydiving! “In South Africa there is just so much more to do, and I love being outdoors. I’ve also made so many friends doing all of these things, and nothing beats the vibe around an active lifestyle. But I still find time to relax as well: I love movie nights with my family, or socialising with my friends, also reading good books and taking my dogs for long walks.”

Unsurprisingly, trail running and triathlon are not the only sports that Linda excels at. She is also part of the Llandudno Lifesaving Club, and at this year’s SA Lifesaving Champs, she won both the junior and senior women’s 2km beach runs, on the same day. “It was 500m loops on the beach and the crowd really helped me, because the atmosphere was so fantastic. I knew this was my last opportunity to compete in both events, so even with little turn-around time between races, I just gave it my all.”

INSPIRATION AT HAND
In spite of all the success Linda has enjoyed in a short period, there have also been a few low points and disappointments, but she stays motivated, and gets herself race-ready, by watching one of her favourite videos on YouTube, called Rise and Shine. “It puts me in the right frame of mind, and if things get really tough, I just take a deep breath and look around me. The beauty of nature reminds me why I am doing this. I do it because I love it, and that there’s nowhere else I would rather be.”

With her focus currently on training for the 70.3 World Champs, she says she knows that finding balance is of the utmost importance, too, if you want to be at your best. “I think there is a time and a place for everything, and you have to get your priorities straight. You can’t be out the whole night before a race and expect to do well the next day. People just need to choose what is important to them, but never forget to have fun. Do the things you love and don’t force yourself to do anything that you don’t want to.”

IMAGES: Kara Bruins-Robertson, Michael Theunissen, Oakpics, Threshold Photography & courtesy Linda Detering

In South African athletics history, only high jumper Jacques Freitag has ever won a clean-sweep of World Titles at Youth, Junior and Senior levels, but now that hurdler Sokwakhana Zazini has added the 2018 World Junior title to his 2017 World Youth title, he may just be on his way to emulating that feat. – BY WILHELM DE SWARDT WITH SEAN FALCONER

In the lead-up to the IAAF Junior World Championships in Tampere, Finland in July, Sokwakhana Zazini went on record stating that he absolutely hates losing on the track. Not that he loses all that often in the 400m hurdles, take note… the last time he didn’t win a youth (under-18) or junior (under-20) age group race was in 2016, and that impressive streak includes winning the 2017 Youth World Champs title in Nairobi, Kenya, and setting a Youth World Record of 48.84 during the 2017 Gauteng North Championships.

In Finland, it was clear that he had no intention of seeing that streak end, but he had to work hard for the win in the 400m hurdles final. The man they call ‘Socks’ appeared to run fairly relaxed for the first 200m, but that saw him caught up in a fierce four-man tussle with just 60 metres remaining. However, the Tuks High School matric pupil was able to shift up another gear for the last two hurdles and final dash for the line to narrowly take the gold medal in 49.42 seconds. Bassem Hemeida (Qatar) was second in 49.59 and Alison Santos (Brazil) third in 49.78. In an interview straight after his win, the ecstatic double World Champion just had this to say: “The competition was really tough, but I'm thrilled with my support team. This is an exceptional and proud moment for me and my country.”

This latest title is yet another highlight in a great 2018 season that has also seen Socks taking on the seniors for the first time. In March he finished second at the SA Senior Champs, running 49.32 to beat the likes of three former Olympians, LJ van Zyl, Cornel Fredericks and Le Roux Hamman. Then in June he, he competed for the first time in an international race in Prague, and placed fourth in 49.56. He attributes this success against the seniors to the mind shift he made at the beginning of this year: “I told myself that I don’t consider myself to be a junior athlete anymore. I will race anyone, anytime, no matter how old they are or what they have achieved. If I get whipped, so be it, I will take it like a man. The only thing that matters to me is that afterwards, I should know that I raced to the best of my ability.”

Still Learning
In spite of this success, Socks feels that his hurdling technique is not yet what it should be. “I am getting better, but my technique going over the hurdles is not yet as efficient as it can be. There are a few other small things we are also working on. Once I have mastered it all, I think there will be no limits as to what I might be able to achieve. I just have to be prepared to put in the hard work. I don’t ever focus on what others are doing, I do my own thing, but most important is to enjoy what I am doing.”

Meanwhile, he is no slouch over the 400m flat sprint. At the 2017 SA Junior and Youth Championships, he won the youth 400m in 47.23 and the 400m hurdles final in 50.85. Then in March this year he repeated the feat by winning both junior titles, clocking 45.86 and 49.98 respectively. That also meant that he became only the second SA junior ever to break 46 seconds over 400m, the first being Riaan Dempers, whose SA Junior Record of 45.15 has stood since 1994. “It had been my goal for a while to break the 46-seconds barrier,” says Socks. “The secret is to be focused, so when I settled in the starting blocks that day, I told my mind to switch into racing mode. It is always special when you get to achieve the goal you set yourself.”

When asked about his future plans, especially if he will continue racing both events, Socks says, “The reason I love competing in the 400m is that it helps to improve my speed, but I am first and foremost a hurdler.” And that speed is going to come in handy, because his coach, Hennie Kriel, believes that Socks has a realistic chance of being good enough in 2019 to compete for the first time in the hurdles at the Senior World Champs. “I do not doubt that Socks has the makings to become one of the greats of international athletics. He has the hunger and is a quick learner. To top it all, he has ‘big match temperament.’ For him, it is a case of when the going gets tough, the tough get going.”

IMAGES: Reg Caldecott

With a streak of race wins in trail running events, Cana Peek is making a name for herself in the sport, on top of already being a Dusi Canoe Marathon winner. As she explains, the two sports really do go together well. – BY SEAN FALCONER

The FNB Dusi Canoe Marathon covers just over 120km from Pietermaritzburg to Durban in KwaZulu-Natal each February, and some people joke that it is actually a running event with a bit of paddling thrown in. That’s because some rapids or weirs are too risky to shoot in the boats, or long loops can be cut out with an over-hill portage, so paddlers do at least 20km of running during the three-day event, with their boats on their shoulders.

It goes without saying that being a strong runner really helps, and that’s why 20-year-old Cana Peek has excelled in the Dusi. “I think running is a huge aspect of the race, especially for me. I don’t think I have a natural build for canoeing, because you need a lot of power and strength to push through the water, especially on the flat water and sprint sections. But being so light does benefit me in rocky waters, and more importantly, it means less muscle mass to carry when out of boat,” she says.

Paddling Prowess
Cana began paddling while attending Epworth High School in Pietermaritzburg, just a few kays from the Dusi starting point, and says it all started thanks to the annual Adventure the school offers. “One was to paddle around Mauritius, so I had to be fit enough to be chosen to go. I soon found that I was getting better at paddling, so I started doing races, and I also enjoyed the outdoor element far more than being on a hockey field or the squash court.”

That led to her doing her first Dusi in 2014, at the age of just 15. That year it was the K2 two-seater race, so she paddled with a schoolmate and they finished first in the under-18 girls’ category and seventh female team overall. The following year was a K1 race and Cana surprised everybody, herself included, by finishing second overall. In 2016 she partnered with Kyeta Purchase and they once again won the under-18 category as they finished third overall.

After skipping the 2017 race while taking a break from paddling, to begin her B.A. Sports Science degree at Stellenbosch University, Cana returned this year to partner her older sister Jordan (24), who was also studying at Maties, and they dominated the race from start to finish. “This was the first time we paddled the Dusi together, and just to go through all that experience, the training and the race, with my best friend and my role model was awesome. With a sister you can be absolutely blunt and honest, you shout at each other and you have to be tough, but the whole time there is banter and we keep each other entertained on the water.”

Running Talent
At the same time as getting into paddling, Cana also discovered a talent and love for running. “I did athletics from grade eight to grade 10, running the 1500m and 3000m and earning provincial colours, but I found the training on the track got a bit boring. I preferred running cross country, and in high school I ran every single race for Epworth in the inter-school league from grade eight to grade 12, and won every race. I was awarded school colours and became the school cross country captain.”

Now Cana has taken to trail running in a big way. At the time of writing, she had competed in nine trail races in 2018, and won them all, including the 24km event at the Jonkershoek Mountain Challenge in Stellenbosch and the first race of the Cape Winter Trail Series. “At both races, I was behind at the start, but passed the leading women on the technical downhills. I seem to be able to go faster there,” she says. “Everywhere I travel, I try to do trail runs, because it’s a great way to get out and see places, but I am trying to be smart with races. I would race every weekend if I could, but I know that’s not healthy – and I want to see how far I can go in the sport.”

Looking ahead, Cana says her preference now definitely lies in running rather than paddling. “During school I couldn’t choose a favourite, but now I really do prefer my running. Canoeing in the Western Cape is not as supported as back home in KZN, whereas trail running here is much bigger, with a great vibe and social aspect. Also, it’s a lot easier to pick up your shoes and hop out on to the mountain, versus taking your boat and equipment to a dam!”

Images: Mark Sampson, Anthony Grote/Gameplan Media

Three years ago well known back-of-pack runner Keith Solomon lost his great running friend Malcolm Marks, and every step he runs these days is in memory of their incredible friendship. – BY PJ MOSES

Every runner soon finds people who share their passion for running when they get into this sport, but the really fortunate ones make actual friends who become more than just ‘sole mates’ on the roads or trails. That is why from the moment Keith Solomon met his late friend Malcolm Marks at a race, they were inseparable. “We used to call each other ‘Munchie’ and always had a lot of fun during races,” says Keith. “Malcolm would do silly things like try and hide behind a lamp pole or come up with funny definitions for road signs along the route.”

There was no distance that the duo would not take on, and their encouragement of one another helped during the tougher sections of ultra or multi-day races. “We always supported each other in our running. Sometimes Malcolm would do more mileage than me and at other times I would do more than him, but there was never any envy or competition or anything like that.”

Taken Too Soon
Sadly, their long running partnership was broken when Malcolm suddenly passed away in 2015, a week after what would be their final run together. “I couldn’t believe it. We were still planning what adventures we were going to try after his retirement, which wasn’t far off. He was looking forward to travelling overseas for running, especially to run on the Great Wall of China.”

At first Keith found it hard to return to running following Malcolm’s passing, but eventually he decided to continue, because that is what his friend would have wanted. And every step would be in memory of their friendship. At the multi-day circuit races that both loved so much, Keith stuck to their agreed total of 50km per day, even though he could do more. “I didn’t want to do any more than what we used to do together, and I would usually finish my total distance with a day to spare.”

“I finally broke this mourning period of the past three years at a recent six-day race in Germiston, when I did an extra 50km to finish with a total of 350km. After that last lap, I looked up and said, ‘Munchie, this one was for you!’ Now I want to organise a multi-day race in Cape Town, as a way of remembering Malcolm. I know that he would look down on us with a smile and shake his head saying: ‘Look at these moegoes!’ That will be a really special race for me.”

Mind Over Matter
Keith has always been active, playing soccer and hockey, and venturing into cycling – he is a nine-time Cape Town Cycle Tour finisher – before the running bug bit in 1998. He originally joined Atlantic AC, then ran for Hewat AC, Pinelands AC and Central AC before ultimately returning to Pinelands. In that time, he has attempted Two Oceans and Comrades many times, successfully finishing Oceans once and Comrades twice, but he prefers the challenges of the circuit races. “There is so much opportunity to test yourself and the mental side of the races are very tough. To get up every day and do a marathon or more is not easy on your body or your mind.”

He averages about two races a week and will do anything from 10km up to whatever distance is on offer, but he has had to be a bit more careful in recent times after developing a condition known as Athletic Heart Syndrome (AHS), or ‘Athlete’s Heart.’ This means the heart is enlarged, and the resting heart rate is lower than normal. “I only discovered this after fainting during a run at Rondebosch Common. The doctors struggled to find what caused me to faint, but after many inconclusive tests, they asked me what I do to keep busy and I said I’m a runner. Then they smiled and said, ‘Ah, you have Athlete’s Heart!’ At first, I thought they were taking the Mickey out of me, until I Googled it and found that it is a real thing.”

Keith says he prefers simplicity to complications in his life and in his running. “I don’t have a special diet and I don’t use supplements. My shoes are neutral, with a minimal sole. When I run now, I don’t overexert, I just run at an even and slow pace from start to finish. I only have two speeds: Slow and stop! Yes, I run a lot, but I don’t believe in punishing myself, because running is about the joy, not the pain. That’s why I always tell people to check the fine print on the entry form, because I am sure it states that the bailer’s bus is included in the entry fee. I make use of the bus when I feel like it, to relax and get full value for my money! And when people ask me what training programme I follow, I just say I run every weekend and rest in between. Simplicity.”

Images: Ashraf Mallick, Gerhard Fourie, Kanakana Mushanganyisi, Keith Linderoth & Moegsien Ebrahim

The old saying “Dynamite comes in small packages” could have been written for Shafeeqah Gordon, a Cape Town trail runner with the heart of a warrior and the motivation to prove that you are not policed by your circumstances, but freed from it by your self-belief. – BY PJ MOSES

Petite 24-year-old trail runner and Salomon brand ambassador Shafeeqah Gordon from Westridge in Mitchell’s Plain is understandably proud of her achievements in trail running thus far, given where she comes from. “There is a perception that girls from the Cape Flats are only here to fall pregnant or use drugs, but I am proof that there is a lot more to us as people than just doing that. Knowing where I am from drives me to where I want to be.”

A late starter to the sport of running, this former netball player fell head over heels in love with the amazing highs that trail running brings her when she is out in nature, and she also likes the discipline it takes to become good at it. The University of the Western Cape graduate, with a BA in Sport Science, says that going out there to explore her favourite rock, Table Mountain, is something that she never gets tired of. “The view of the city from the top of the mountain is just so spectacular and it blows my mind every time I see it.”

Overcoming Obstacles
Shafeeqah admits she didn’t have a clue as to what she was doing when she took up trail running. “My big mistake when I started was that I didn’t train properly. I would just run as many events as I could, with no training in between, and this led to me suffering from runner’s knee and having a frustrating time. So, I decided to change this and get a proper training programme, after which my form and my times improved in leaps and bounds.”

An even bigger obstacle was overcoming the pressure of having a fulltime job while also studying and training, as well as the fact that running is not a norm in her community, but she says the love and support from her family and friends, especially the ones in the Cape Town trail community, help her to keep pushing forward. “My parents don’t always understand this trail life, but they support me, and I think they are just happy that I am keeping myself busy with the right things, and not off being irresponsible. There were no guidelines to becoming a trail runner for a young Muslim woman from Mitchell’s Plain. But just like there was no one else in my immediate family in whose footsteps to follow on getting my degree, I don’t mind finding my own way. I am always a Muslim first and a trail runner second.”

Highs and Lows
This trail journey has not been without its low points, though. There have been recent races, like the UTCT 35km and the UTD 30km, where the doubts overcame Shafeeqah, and she says the tears flowed freely. “You question yourself in those moments, and ask whether all the effort and sacrifices are worth it, but what helps me is that I look back to where I started, from scratch, with nobody seeing the dream but me. That helps me get over all the fears, and to finish these races, knowing that I am stronger than I was before, and that I will get where I want to be.”

Her commitment coupled with the guidance she got from top trail runner Meg Mackenzie throughout last year saw her take fifth place at the Helderberg Mountain Challenge last May. “I am inspired by the women in trail who have gone before me, and I want to learn as much as I can from them. This year, my focus has shifted to running longer distances and more technical terrain, and I have Linda Doke to coach me. My goal is to work hard in reaching my potential as a trail runner, and I’m doing my first international race this October, the Salomon Cappadocia Ultra Trail in Turkey, where I’ll run the 38km.” Her family and best friend Jadè are going along to give her moral support, and she says, “I’ve always wanted to run overseas, and it’s going to be extra special having my loved ones there and sharing it with them.”

Apart from the strong women in trail she looks up to, Shafeeqah also takes inspiration from books, like the Ryan Sandes book, Trail Blazer. “I love to learn, and this is just another way of learning to overcome the obstacles that life throws at you. There are always doubts when you set out into uncharted territory, but I back myself to get to that higher level. I have learnt not to stress about things that make you unhappy, but to change them. For any of us to succeed in life, we need to take responsibility to make ourselves happy first. And my trail life makes me happy.”

After surviving a brutal attack in February that had many thinking his running career was prematurely over, Thabang Mosiako not only returned to running incredibly quickly, but also stronger than before, and he says it is all down to magnesium. – BY SEAN FALCONER

The South African running community was shaken in February when news broke of an apparent racially-motivated attack near the North West University campus in Potchefstroom on two well-known black athletes, SA 5000m Champion Thabang Mosiako and SA 3000m Steeple Chase champion Rantso Mokopane, along with their friend Sandy Londt. The initial reports said that Thabang was in a coma after suffering severe head injuries, having had his head repeatedly kicked and bashed against the pavement. There were doubts whether he would recover from his head injuries, let alone run competitively again.

In 2017 Thabang claimed the men’s 5000m title at the SA Senior Track and Field Champs, putting in a stunning last lap to close down Olympian Elroy Gelant’s 200m lead. Later that year he won the FNB Joburg 10 CITYRUN, and in January the second-year human resource development student at Boston City campus in Potchefstroom won the SA Cross Country Trials to qualify for the SA team going to the CAA African Cross Country Champs in Algeria in March, but the brutal attack seemed to have put an end to those plans.

Amazingly, though, he made an incredible recovery from his injuries and not only resumed running, but made it to the African Champs just over a month after the attack, where he finished a very creditable 26th and third South African home in the men’s 10km. “My preparation did not go to plan because of the attack, but after running my race, I was so happy, because I had managed to finish, and under the top 30 as well. It really showed me that I can run again,” says Thabang, who went on to finish 12th and fourth South African in the FNB Cape Town 12 ONERUN in May.

THE FATEFUL NIGHT
According to Rantso, the three friends stopped at Varsity Café in the early hours of the morning to buy some food. While Thabang and Sandy waited outside, he found himself in the queue to pay behind three apparently drunk white men, one of whom began swearing at the elderly black woman working the till. That prompted Rantso to intervene. “I asked them can you please pay and go, because what you guys are doing is not right, but those guys got angry. There was another white guy behind me in the queue, and he also said to the drunk guy to stop, but nothing happened to him. The drunk guy just focused on me.”

When Rantso came outside, the group had grown to about 10 men who then attacked him, so Thabang and Sandy tried to help their friend. Passing police officers came and stopped the fight, but appeared to take the side of the white men. “The police started beating us with batons, as if we were the ones who were in the wrong,” says Rantso. Having received no help from the police, the three tried to get away from their attackers, who began chasing them. “It happened so quickly, and then we were running for our lives,” says Thabang.

Shockingly, Rantso says they came across another police vehicle and asked desperately for help, but were ignored, and stopping for help just allowed the chasers to catch them once the police drove away. “Sandy went one way and Thabang went the other. I was fighting two, but then they left me and went to Thabang. I saw them hitting and kicking him, and when they finished he was lying unconscious with blood on his head. Then more police came and they called the ambulance.”

RECOVERY BEGINS
Thabang woke up the next day in hospital and says while lying there, his thoughts turned to the attack, and how he had kept thinking about his wife Thandi (who was SA under-23 Champion over 1500m last year), and their young son Mpho. “I thought I would die there, and kept thinking what would happen to them if I lost my life,” he says. Fortunately, his injuries were not as severe as initially feared, so he was up and about a few days after the attack, but he was left with sever headaches, especially when he tried running, and believed his opportunity to represent his country in Algeria was gone. “I was overcome with despondency, and I had given up on the Algeria trip,” he says.

Then out of the blue he was contacted by Benita Niemann of Magnesium Café and everything changed. “She tracked me down before African Champs and told me to try the product, that I will see the results.” Having heard of the attack and Thabang’s struggle to recover, Benita had decided to offer what help she could. “It was really sad for me, because when I first made contact with Thabang, he had two hands full of tablets, and not one was magnesium. As soon as he started to drink the magnesium, he started to recover. People don’t understand the importance of magnesium,” she says.

Thabang continues the story: “Everyone thought I would only be running again next year, or at least after six months of recovery, but I went to African Champs. What really helped me recover was the magnesium products, and I can’t thank Benita and Magnesium Café enough. It took away the headaches, and gave me the energy and focus I needed in training. Physically I am OK now. The terrible headaches I was getting are not so bad now, only coming now and again, and I plan to keep using the product, because it saved my career!”

Unsurprisingly, his training mates noticed his rapid recovery and quick return to form, and began asking him about the wonder supplements he was taking. That saw coach Springs Phakathi ask Benita if she would consider sponsoring more of his training group, so now Rantso, Thandi and Puseletso Mofokeng are all using her products, and Rantso is equally effusive about the effects of magnesium. “It seemed to really help Thabang. Initially he used to stop regularly in jogs due to the headaches, but gradually improved once he started using magnesium. Previously I never believed in supplements, but now I’m also using magnesium, because it’s the best thing I have found for recovery and energy.”

ENDURING FRIENDSHIP
No suspects have been arrested following the attack, in spite of Rantso following up with the police and university authorities, and he says the latest information they have points to the fact that it may have been men from Pretoria, with ties to Potch students, that attacked them. “Ironically, Thabang always avoided coming out in the dorp at night due to previous attacks or incidents like this, usually with drunk guys. To be honest, I don’t go out at night any more, because I don’t feel safe.”

He says he wished the attack had not led to his friend suffering so much, but he nevertheless does not regret getting involved in the café. “The first thing I thought was, what if that had been my mother, just doing her job… so I had to speak up, because we must protect people that can’t stand up for themselves. I had no intention to fight, but I am still responsible for what happened. I used to think maybe we were at the wrong place at the wrong time, but seeing my friend almost get killed made me stop and say this must not happen again, and that is what I am fighting for.”

Meanwhile, Thabang says the physical injuries of the attack may now be largely healed, but the psychological and emotional scars are still healing. “When people talk about the attack, it really hurts me, because even today nobody has been arrested. It hurts because I haven’t got justice yet. Still, I am really proud of Rantso for standing up for that cashier, even though we got attacked. He is a true friend.”

IMAGES: Tobias Ginsberg, Back Track & Courtesy YouTube

After coming back from an operation on her foot and having to learn to walk again, multiple SA Champion Rikenette Steenkamp had been frustratingly close to breaking the 21-year-old SA Record for the women’s 100m hurdles, but in June she finally claimed the record for herself. – BY SEAN FALCONER & WILHELM DE SWARDT

If ever an athlete deserved to break an SA Record, it was Rikenette Steenkamp. Throughout the 2017 season she had been knocking on the proverbial door of dipping under 13 seconds and improving on Corien Botha’s SA Record of 12.94 seconds, which had stood since 1998, and the same had continued in 2018. She had finally broken that 13-second barrier, and then had actually run a 12.92, at the Resisprint International Meeting in Switzerland, but the wind from behind was unfortunately too strong for record purposes.

Undaunted, Rikenette (26) continued chasing the record, and in June she finally did it at the Memorial Josefa Odlozila Meeting in Prague. Former World Junior Champion Elvira Herman of Belarus won the race in 12.69, with Rikenette finishing second in a brilliant new SA Record of 12.91 – and that in spite of not having the best of starts, coming out of the blocks second-last, but still leading over the first four hurdles.

“To at long last break Corien Botha’s record was amazing. I have dreamt of doing so for the last seven years. What excites me is that it was not the perfect race. My technique going over the first four hurdles was possibly the best I have ever done, but I was coming onto the hurdles so fast that it led to me losing a bit of rhythm. Then I hit the sixth hurdle – I can’t remember when last that happened!” says Rikenette. “I was quite emotional afterwards, especially when I met up with my coach, Hennie Kriel. I owe so much to him for the way he guided me to break the record.”

Starting from Scratch
What makes Rikenette’s SA Record all the more impressive is the fact that just two years ago she had to learn to walk properly again after an operation on her foot! Having won the SA Schools title in 2009, then recording a hat-trick of titles in 2010 by claiming the SA Schools, Junior and Senior titles in her matric year, then going on claim the gold medal at the 2014 African Champs in Morocco, she saw her career derailed by constant pain in her foot.

“After a six-week off-season break in September 2014, I started training again, but slight pains in my right ankle started bothering me. Despite consulting various physios and doctors, the pain gradually increased. In early 2015, I tried training three times a week at about 60% intensity, but that was just frustrating, and at the end of 2015 I consulted a foot specialist, Dr Fief Ferreira, and he finally identified the problem,” says Rikenette.

“I had an extra piece of bone about 15mm long in my ankle, which impaired my mobility and therefore caused a lot of pain when running. There was no other option than to do surgery, followed by six weeks’ bed rest, two months’ physiotherapy and two months of swimming, whilst working with a biokineticist. That rehabilitation period was difficult, although I knew it would all be worth it, but I could only return to the track in September 2016! There were moments when I thought I won’t ever run again, but I am so blessed with an amazing family and support system that carried me through this time. They always helped me to focus on the next part of the process, and we celebrated every small victory.”

Bouncing Back Strongly
Today, the pain and frustration of her operation and recovery are distant reminders of how far she has come, spurring her on to still greater achievements, and up to her record run in Prague, Rikenette had posted a remarkable series of results in European races, winning four races and finishing second in a further two. Also, it shows how far she has come, in that posting a second sub-13 in a week, at the Diamond League Meeting in Stockholm, just after the record run, actually left her feeling a bit disappointed…

“I guess I should be satisfied with a time of 12.99, as it is only the third time officially that I managed to dip under 13 seconds, but after my 12.91 in Prague, I know that I am capable of running faster times. Still, I am overwhelmed with thankfulness after the setbacks and challenges that I’ve been through the last two years. The biggest lesson I have learnt is that it is OK not to have everything under control. I view things very differently now. Life almost never works out completely as planned, so I enjoy my running a lot more now when I am relaxed and make jokes. I also don’t see mistakes or bad races as failures. It is part of sport to go through processes, and it’s not possible to run a personal best in every race.”

Postscript: Rikenette Shatter Own Record
Having set a new SA Record of 12.91 in the 100m hurdles just a few weeks earlier in Prague, Rikenette produced another breakthrough performance on 1 July in Switzerland. She obliterated her still new record with a 12.81 in the final of the Resisprint International meeting in La Chaux-de-Fonds, after clocking 12.70 in the qualifying heat, but that mark was run with the benefit of a tailwind and is not record-legal.

IMAGES: Reg Caldecott

 

Winning the Comrades Marathon is considered one of the pinnacles of achievement in South African road running. It brings a massive payday, makes you a household name and really puts you on the running map, with sponsorships, endorsements and media opportunities that follow, as Bongmusa Mthembu found out in 2014. However, winning it again takes things to another level, let alone a third time! – BY SEAN FALCONER

It wasn’t so very long ago that Bongmusa Mthembu was struggling to find work and just keeping his running ticking over, having moved from his hometown of Bulwer to nearby Pietermaritzburg in the hopes of finding more opportunities. “It was hard to get a job, but eventually I got hired as a bricklayer, and at that time I was just training to keep my body healthy,” he says. “Then in 2004 I started to enter some of the local races, and in 2005 I won the Maritzburg Marathon, even without proper training. That was when I started thinking about taking part in the Comrades Marathon, and in my mind I already had the dream of winning Comrades one day.”

He ran his first Comrades in 2006 and earned a silver medal in 6:25:19, followed by two more silvers and a highest finish of 31st in 2007. Then in 2009 he rocketed up the placings as he came home seventh for his first gold medal, followed by third position in 2010, 12th in 2011 and the runner-up position in 2012. He didn’t finish in 2013, but in June 2014, he set out from his home city and clocked 5:28:29 to win the Down Run and fulfil the promise had shown over the preceding years.

A disappointing 17th place followed in 2015, but he bounced back with third place in 2016 for another gold, and then in November that year he added the SA Record for 100km to his list of achievements, clocking 6:24:05 to finish second at the 2016 IAU World 100km Championships in Spain and finally beat Bruce Fordyce’s 27-year-old SA Record by 62 seconds! That cemented his status as one of SA’s premier ultra-runners, but more was to come. In 2017 he won his second Comrades title, crossing the line in Pietermaritzburg in 5:35:34 to add an Up Run title to his Down Run win of 2014. That already put him into a select group of men with multiple Comrades wins, but in 2018 even more glory was to come his way.

WHERE FEW HAVE TROD
Prior to this year’s race, just nine men had managed to win the race three or more times in its nearly 100-year history, and of the further eight men with two wins to their name, Bongmusa was the only one running in 2018. Furthermore, just 11 men had ever managed to win the Comrades in back-to-back years, and there again Bongmusa was the only man in this year’s field in the running to change that record. Happily for the affable Arthur Ford AC runner, he was able to do both in his 13th Comrades run.

Having broken away from the chasing pack on Cowies Hill, with about 19km to go, Bongmusa stormed home to break the tape in 5:26:34, beating second-placed Joseph Mputhi by 8 mintes 35 seconds. This made him the first South African to win the race in consecutive years since Bruce Fordyce last managed this feat in 1987 and 1988 (the last two of his eight consecutive wins from 1981 to 1988), and just the third man since Bruce to record back-to-back wins.

Back to Back Men’s Comrades Winners
1922-25 Arthur Newton (4)
1933-34 Hardy Ballington
1953-54 Wally Hayward
1956-57 Gerald Walsh
1963-64 Jackie Mekler
1969-71 Dave Bagshaw (3)
1974-75 Derek Preiss
1976-78 Alan Robb (3)
1981-88 Bruce Fordyce (8)
2007-08 Leonid Shvetsov
2009-11 Stephen Muzhingi (3)
2017-18 Bongmusa Mthembu

After the race, Bongmusa said, “I am very emotional about this win, because the Comrades means so much to me. The experience of my previous Down Run victory helped me a lot, and I decided in Pinetown to break away from the others on Cowies Hill. The Down Comrades only really starts in Pinetown.”

Interestingly, if Bongmusa can win the 2019 Comrades, he would become just the sixth man ever to win the race in three consecutive years. Another Comrades win would also put him level with Alan Robb on four wins, and just one away from joining the Big Five of the race who posted five or more wins. Given the way he has performed over the last few years at Comrades, he looks like he could do just that!

All-time Leading Men’s Comrades Winners
9 Bruce Fordyce
5 Arthur Newton
5 Hardy Ballington
5 Wally Hayward
5 Jackie Mekler
4 Allan Robb
3 Dave Bagshaw
3 Vladimir Kotov
3 Stephen Muzhingi
3 Bongmusa Mthembu

ANN’S AWESOME SURPRISE
In contrast to Bongmusa, who was widely touted by many experts to be a favourite to win the 2018 Comrades, Ann Ashworth was only considered a safe bet for a top 10 position and a gold medal by most pundits. As the old saying goes, shows what they know, because the 34-year-old advocate from Johannesburg pulled off one of the biggest upsets to comfortably win the women’s title in 6:10:04, after a gutsy run that saw her take, then lose and retake the lead in Pinetown. Pre-race favourite Gerda Steyn, the 2018 Old Mutual Two Oceans Winner, was second home in 6:15:34

Ashworth crossed the finish line with a big smile and received a massive hug from her coach, John Hamlett, who added a women’s win to his four men’s wins as a Comrades coach. After catching her breath, she said her race plan had worked out perfectly. “I had started building up for the Comrades with a win in the Legends 68km last year, followed by a fifth place in the Two Oceans and second in the Loskop 50km this year. John told me he believed I could win it, but still, I don't think anyone is more surprised than myself that I am sitting here as the winner. I took two months off work to train for the Comrades, and I want to thank everyone who made sacrifices to help me achieve this.” (Look out for an in-depth interview with Ann in an upcoming edition. – Ed.)

IMAGES: Jetline Action Photo

Dawie Aucamp has been running for 26 years, but the last few years have been really challenging after he suffered a heart attack while out training… even though he didn’t know that until 12 hours later! After many operations and having an Implantable Cardio Defibrillator (ICD) implanted, he’s not only returned to marathons and ultras, but also done his first Ironman. – BY SEAN FALCONER

The troubles started in November 2010. Around the 32km mark of the Winelands Marathon, Dawie felt pain in his chest, experienced white vision and couldn’t breathe, so he pulled off the road. Eventually he began feeling better, so he slowly carried on and made it to the finish. Then it happened again 16km into the Dangerpoint Half Marathon that December. “I thought it was just blood pressure, because I was fine in the Bay to Bay 30km in January, but later that month, the same thing happened 30km into the Red Hill Marathon. I had to put my hand on my wife Annalita’s shoulder to balance, but again I recovered and finished the race. Then it happened again at 30km in the Peninsula Marathon!” says the 56-year-old finance manager from Stellenbosch.

The next day he called his doctor, who ran tests but couldn’t find anything wrong, partly due to Dawie being so fit that he was unable to get his heart rate high enough on the exercise bike to really stress it. That saw Dawie referred to cardiologist Dr Wouter Basson, who ran more tests and prescribed blood pressure tablets. “That worked for a few years, but I was still tired in the legs and would finish races totally exhausted.”

Fast forward to 2015 and Dawie was running his 11th Two Oceans Ultra when a friend passed him at 30km and said he didn’t look good. “I replied that I was going to bail if a bus came past, but none did, so I finished in 6:18. Then at Comrades the same thing happened – around 35km in I told Annalita to go, because I was holding her back, and after a lot of tears she eventually did. I recovered after a while and finished in 10:44, but I was getting worried.”

Then on 9 August, he experienced problems again during a long training run. “I struggled home, but started vomiting and shivering, and my stomach was upset. Annalita found me sitting in the shower under hot water, so helped me get into bed to try rest, but I had no circulation in my extremities, and I kept vomiting, so when she came home later from a Women’s Day function, I said I think we should go to hospital. The doctors gave me one look and booked me in for emergency treatment. It took three shocks to get my heart back to normal rhythm, and they told me I had suffered a heart attack.”

LUCKY ESCAPE
The following day he was visited in ICU by Dr Basson and specialist Dr Rust Theron, who told him the troponin count in his blood was 37,000. A raised troponin level indicates cardiac muscle cell death, and a normal count should have been 40! “Dr Theron still said, ‘You’re somebody’s favourite up there.’ I was in ICU for four days, and three weeks later Wouter diagnosed Super-ventricular Tachycardia in the top chamber of the heart. He said I could start training three weeks later if I kept my heart rate under 130, and in my first run everything was fine. However, the next evening my heart went off the chart, so it was back to Wouter. And yet, the angiogram showed nothing wrong, so he sent me to physiological cardiologist Dr Razeen Gopal, who took one look at my charts and said I’m going nowhere. He also promised me, ‘I am going to give you your life back’.”

In October 2015 Dr Gopal diagnosed Ventricular Tachycardia of the bottom chamber of the heart, inserted the ICD in Dawie’s chest, and did a cardiac ablation to scar the tissue in his heart that was allowing incorrect signals to cause an abnormal rhythm. After being discharged, Dawie was told to rest – no running until February 2016 – and he admits that his first comeback jog with Annalita was very frightening, but he came through it OK. However, the next evening when he tried a swim, his heart rate skyrocketed and the ICD kicked in to shock his heart back to normal rhythm. It gave him a second shock as his friend Dirk pulled him out of the water, and he had another two while lying next to the pool. “I was having a VT storm, so Dirk phoned Annalita and they rushed me to hospital, and in that time I had another six shocks!” That resulted in another 11-hour operation and a week in ICU, followed by several more ops, until eventually the day came that Dr Gopal came out of theatre and told Annalita, “Now I am finished with him.”

LONG ROAD BACK
Dawie was told to do nothing strenuous till August 2016, and after initially walking regularly, the doctor gave him the all-clear to start running lightly in mid-November. From there he gradually built up his mileage and in February 2017 felt ready to tackle the Cango Half Marathon in Oudtshoorn. “I no longer ran on pace or time, just on heart rate, and I never went over 160,” says Dawie. Next was the Two Oceans Half Marathon, and by July he felt strong enough to go run his sixth Rhodes Ultra 52km. Then he and Annalita decided they wanted to do the 2018 Full Ironman in PE the following April.

“At the beginning of August I started the Modern Athlete Dare to Tri programme, and I was supposed to run the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon in September, but a week before race day I had to go in for a laminectomy for a pinched nerve in my spine, so no running for the whole of September and October. The back specialist said he wasn’t sure if I would run again, let alone do marathons, but I started running again at the beginning of November, because I had spent a fortune on our Ironman entries, flights, accommodation and gear!”

For the Ironman, Dawie had to get a medical clearance before the organisers would let him start, but everything went smoothly on race day, except for a scare during the swim leg. “The ICD has an alarm if a magnet comes too close, as that switches it off. About 2km into the swim I heard an alarm and thought it was the ICD, so I stopped to check, but I think it may have been somebody’s watch alarm going off nearby. I just had to put it out of my mind and try going on. Annalita and I swam together, then split up later and she finished in 13:11, while I did 13:57. It was pure enjoyment, just being able to participate, but there were a few emotional moments for me along the way. Now we’re already booked to go back in 2019, and we’re going to do the Ironman 70.3 in East London as well.”

POSITIVE ATTITUDE
Dawie and Annalita’s most recent adventure saw them take on the three-day AfricanX Trailrun, where he unfortunately rolled his ankle during the first stage and had to sit out day two before strapping it up and getting through day three. “It healed up OK, but I had to cancel my Comrades trip. It would have been my ninth, so my plans for my Green Number have been postponed by one year.”

These days, Dawie says his heart still sends him a warning now and again. Early in June he was out training when his heart jumped over 200, but the ICD picked it up and paced him out. “Annalita always runs with me, either waiting for me or doubling back to come back to me, and it gave her a massive scare, too, because she turned and saw me lie down on the pavement! That was the first attack since my last op, so I’ve been struggling a bit psychologically with my running the last few weeks… but I’m not going to let it stop me. I get my energy from sport, and if not for sport, I would have ended up sitting at home waiting for it all to end.”

IMAGES: Courtesy Dawie Aukamp