The Thohoyandou Athletic Club, in partnership with the Fortress Running Series led by former 800m Olympic silver medallist Hezekiél Sepeng and marathon legend Israel Morake, has embarked on a mission to identify talented young athletes and encourage them to take both education and sport seriously.
This emerged during coaching clinics, book donations and the distribution of athletics equipment at Liivha Combined School and Ngwenani Primary School on Monday, 25 May.
Sepeng said the idea of hosting coaching clinics in rural areas came after it was realised that many young people were no longer participating in sport but were instead being drawn into alcohol abuse, drugs and unsafe behaviour.
“Most of them end up dropping out of school and failing to succeed in life. Sport keeps young people focused,” he said.
He said that, as former runners, they believe that while providing young people with a platform to improve their lives, they must also be equipped with the necessary tools and skills for a sustainable future in athletics and for the development of South African athletics.
Former athlete and member of the Thohoyandou Athletic Club, Andrew Mavhona, said sport plays an important role in the development of children.
“Children who participate in sport tend to perform better academically, and in the long run we will see improved results,” he said.
Mavhona encouraged aspiring athletes to believe in themselves, saying they had bright futures ahead of them. He explained that the purpose of the visit was to give young athletes an understanding of what to expect at top-level competition.