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13 September 2022 | Story Lunga Luthuli | Photo Supplied
Molemo Mohapi
Molemo Mohapi, Chief Officer at ICT services with his 2022 Comrades Marathon participatory medal.

The end seemed certain for his participation in sport when Molemo Mohapi, Chief Officer: ICT Services and 2022 Comrades Marathon medallist, broke his leg playing in the University of the Free State (UFS) Division for Organisational Development and Employee Well-being’s annual 7-A-Side Soccer Festival in 2012. 

Believing that he may never play sport again, Molemo thanks Arina Engelbrecht, UFS Employee Well-being Specialist for asking, ‘who said you cannot participate in sport anymore?’ Molemo said: “Arina advised me to treat my leg, get help from a physiotherapist, and then it took me nine years to participate in the Comrades Marathon.”

Even though Molemo had never been involved in athletics before the injury, adopting and adjusting to running was not a challenge, as he started walking up and down Naval Hill to ‘gain confidence and passion.’

Molemo, who has never been ‘worried about age’, also thanks his brother who was into athletics for watching races with him; after watching a race, he wanted to emulate the international runners. His favourite athlete is the American 1992 Olympic two-time gold medallist, Quincy Watts.  

Scared but pushed by desire and willingness

Molemo said: “I was scared to do the marathons, but gradually I started participating in 5 km, 10 km, 21 km, and 42 km races. To condition and get myself ready for the 2020 Comrades Marathon, I participated in the KFC PE City Marathon, the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, and the Soweto Marathon. Unfortunately, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Comrades was cancelled.”

Faced with disappointment following the cancellation of the 2020 Comrades Marathon, Molemo and his two friends – Ben Kokela and Disema Ntsasa – focused on the 2022 Kloppers Marathon, helping them to qualify for the Two Oceans Marathon and the Comrades Marathon. 

Molemo said: “We had to adjust and told ourselves that as soon as it was open again, we would start training. During COVID-19, I did not rest as I was running in the backyard, doing 30-40 minutes every Monday to Wednesday. Family support is key, one also needs to do justice to your body, prepare mentally for the race, and not compete with athletes who are doing it for money.”

“Never doubt yourself; after running the 56 km Two Oceans Marathon, I told myself – I am now left with 34 km to complete the Comrades. I just worked on that, and the confidence was high. I was more relaxed than scared.”

Completing the marathon in less than 11 hours and 24 minutes, Molemo thanks Durban people for their support, as they ‘make you feel part of the family.’ 

Molemo said: “What I learnt from the race is consistency in women – if they plan to run seven minutes per km, that is exactly what they do.”

He thanks his wife, Neo Rantsane, for encouraging and supporting him to run the marathon.

News Archive

Wayde Van Niekerk makes sprinting history
2016-03-13

He is the world champion in the 400 m, the South African Sports Star for 2015, and now Kovsie student Wayde van Niekerk has achieved something nobody else has done before.

On 12 March 2016, Van Niekerk became the first athlete in history to run the 100 m under 10 seconds, the 200 m under 20 seconds, and the 400 m under 44 seconds. Van Niekerk achieved this feat, which was confirmed by the IAAF, when he ran a personal best in the 100 m at the Free State Championships in his hometown of Bloemfontein.

His time of 9.98 seconds in the 100 m improved his previous best by 0.47 seconds. Van Niekerk ran his previous best back in 2011 and didn’t compete much in this event during the last couple of years.

“We, as the UFS leadership, are enormously proud of this historic achievement of Wayde, who embodies our values of academic commitment and human decency in every way,” said Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the University of the Free State (UFS).

He was congratulated by many people on social media over the weekend. AB de Villiers, the Proteas' test and one-day cricket captain, was one of a few well-known people who congratulated Van Niekerk on Twitter.
“@WaydeDreamer don’t know the man, but WOW. Take a bow,” De Villiers tweeted.

A humble Van Niekerk thanked De Villiers and wished him good luck for the upcoming T20 World Cup in India.

The 23-year old Van Niekerk said on his Instagram account that it was a childhood dream to run a sub 10, and expressed his thanks to his supporters.  

On 11 March 2016, Van Niekerk won the 200 m at the Free State Championships in 20.97 seconds. His best in this event is 19.94 seconds.

More articles:

Van Niekerk makes sprinting history in Bloemfontein (IAAF)

UFS community proud of Wayde’s hat trick of awards

Wayde nominated with SA’s best

Wayde one of the Adidas faces for Rio 2016

NBC tells Wayde’s story 

Wayde, Karla crowned as KovsieSport’s best

UFS congratulates Wayde van Niekerk and other students for their national and international

Kovsies Wayde van Niekerk wins gold at the IAAF World Championship

 

 

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