Plans are afoot for the phenomenal ultra-road run on Sunday, June 9, 2019 where aspirant Comrades athletes will participate in an 87km marathon.
sports
May 15, 2019
NKOATE THAMAE
3 min read
I chase time, not other runners: Sello
The Comrades Marathon attracts up to 25,000 athletes worldwide. Teboho Sello, 28, one of Lesotho’s top gold medalists, will participate in this 87km race starting at City Hall in Durban and finishing at the Scottsville Race course in Pietermaritzburg. In a telephone interview
Sello explained that he was very busy with his training schedule adding that he is complying with his trainer’s instructions that include a suitable diet for him, where to train, when to sleep and the specific high-altitude venues to train at.
“Wherever there is a successful man, there is always a strong woman behind his success,” Sello said paying tribute to his wife who he says ensures he adhers to his training sessions.
“If it is time for me to sleep, she shuts down my cellphones and forces me to sleep,” Sello said, adding that discipline always contributes to a good results and success in sports. He explained that he has participated in the Comrades Marathon for the past few years and he recently managed to be part of the top 10 athletes for which he won a gold medal and M100,000.00 cash.
Asked about his future plans in athletics, Sello explained that he has started a programme to train youth about tips on how to be a good runner and he is looking forward to tuning top future athletes in Lesotho. Responding to the question as to what gives him strength and moral support, especially when he is running for the Comrade Marathon, Sello explained that what come first in his mind is his country’s flag, family members and his sponsor.
He said he always chases time, not other athletes competing with him. Sello concluded that he gets sponsorship from Pick and Pay shop which include transportation, running attire, hotel bills for food and accommodation. In addition to that Sello indicated that he also goes for counseling session for any emotional free session and also a support from his family.
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Sejalamane Maphathe, spokesperson for the Lesotho Amateur Athletics Association (LAA), explained that his association recently sent 22 athletes to participate at the Gaborone International Meeting to help them qualify for international athletics games to be held in Morocco in August this year and the world championships later.
“Lerato Sechele won in long jump, Mosito Lehata was number two in 100 meters, Ts’epang Sello won in 1500 meters, while Bad Boy Toka won in 500 metres seconded by Jobo Khatane in position two, and Makoli got position two in 100 metres,” Maphate said adding that Sechele, Sello, Lehata and Toka have qualified for the games to be held in Morocco.
Metro asked Maphathe about the correct number of Lesotho athletes to participate in Mandela Comrade Marathon, but he said that his office had not received correct statistics about athletes scheduled to run for the Comrades Marathon.
However, he said that Teboho Sello was the one with a good record about it. Maphathe disclosed that Mamoroallo Tjoka, Mabothile Lebopo, Jobo Khatooane and ‘Mako Nkhasi also performed well in the recent Two Oceans Marathon.
Maphathe indicated that his association is currently encouraging youth between 16 and 17 years of age to participate in the athletics games under the guidance of Thabiso Moqhali. He lamented that the association was still facing a challenge of absence of play grounds for excising.
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