TOP marathoner, Teboho Sello who registered his 10-kilometre personal best of 30:41 after finishing 20th at the 2008 Cape Town marathon has over the years made records under his name as an athlete both locally and on foreign lands.
sports
Oct. 30, 2021
TEBOHO JAFETA
4 min read
Prominent marathon specialist, coach - Teboho Sello
Top Lesotho marathoner, Teboho Sello
Story highlights
Sello has won several trophies with LDF Athletics Club
He is affectionately known as Comrades marathon specialist
In September 2009, he made his personal best time of 1:04:08 in the Bloemfontein Nedbank Half Marathon before recording 2:13:50 in the 42.2 km Bloemfontein Tambo marathon in Bloemfontein, South Africa in April 2016.
Sello has won several trophies running under the umbrella of LDF Athletics Club, LCS Athletics Club, Liberty Athletics Club, Toyota Club before he later joined his current stable, the Mr Price Athletics Club.
He also serves as the manager of Mr Price Club Lesotho athletes.
He won silver at the 2005 Two Oceans Marathon which was a qualification ticket for the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia where he finished 10th.
He is the 2006 City to City marathon top 10 finalist after finishing on seventh position. He won the Soweto marathon the following year.
In 2008, he appeared second at the same race and finished third in the Johannesburg marathon the same year, before winning the second prize at the 2009 Soweto marathon.
He also won the City to City marathon the same year.
He appeared third at the 2010 Two Oceans marathon and was second placed at the Soweto marathon the same year. ‘He finished third in the 2014 edition of the Soweto marathon.
He thereafter shifted his focus to the more strenuous Comrades marathon (89km) and is today affectionately known as the Comrades marathon specialist after finishing among the top 10 between 2014 and 2017.
He did not impress during the 2018 edition of the race due to a muscle injury but managed to win a second prize in the 40 to 50-year category.
Born on February 17, 1979, Teboho Sello is the son of the late Ralisenke and ’Matlalane Sello of Thaba Tseka. He is the first born in the family of seven, four boys and three girls.
He did his primary school education at Mazenod Primary in Maseru and Sefapanong Primary School in Thaba Tseka and later at the Boqate ACL in Ha Makhoathi.
He proceeded to Boqate ACL Secondary where he dropped out in Form A in 2000. He was first introduced to athletics as a Standard Seven learner at Boqate Primary where he represented the school in the Lesotho Primary Schools Sports Association (LEPSSA) Games.
His first international debut was in 1999 when he represented the LDF Athletics Club in South Africa.
He regards every starting athlete at any race as a threat to him until he overcomes him.
“I believe that an athlete is not a race champion until he crosses the finishing line. Every A standard athlete is a threat to me because he has the potential of winning the race,” he comments.
As an upcoming athlete, Sello looked up to the 1998 Commonwealth Games marathon gold medalist, Thabiso Moqhali, the late Angelina Sephooa who was the Two Oceans marathon ‘queen’ and Rasta Mohloli as well as Khabasheane Rakabaele.
People who contributed to grooming him into a top class athlete include Tlala Ranniki, Thabiso Ralekhetla, Arone Mohloli and Kenneth Hlasa.
Sello who began his coaching career in 2008 has groomed top local marathoners such as Khoarahlane Seutloali, Lineo Chaka and Rebone Sello.
The three have shown tremendous aptitude representing the country in several foreign races.
In 2012, he formed the Mafikaneng Athletics Club which he later named the Mr Price Club development.
Enjoy our daily newsletter from today
Access exclusive newsletters, along with previews of new media releases.
He groomed Seutloali from being a complete tyro until he won his first medal, a bronze at the 2009 Soweto marathon.
His fellow Mr Price club members include Sootho Raletebele and Mokulubete Makatise who are mentored by other coaches such as Motlokoa Nkhabutlane and Chaplin Mpomane, respectively.
His worst moment was on Saturday November 2, 2002 when Team Lesotho went to Soweto marathon race and their vehicle crashed en-route to their destination.
“The LAAA (Lesotho Amateur Athletics Association) never came to our assistance but my former team LDF came to the rescue and went on to cover my medical bills until I was fully recovered,” he recalls.
His best moment was in 2014 when he finished fifth at the Comrades marathon and secured a Mr Price sponsorship. “Whenever you finish among the top 10 in the Comrades marathon, you never struggle to secure sponsorship,” he says.
Not only is he a successful athlete and coach, but he is also a top notch businessman who among others owns a prosperous construction company that has 12 workers in its payroll.
He is also an active politician who recently joined the newly formed political party, the Basotho Liberation Movement (BLM).
Sello is married to ’Manthati Sello and the couple is blessed with a boy and a girl.
Apart from athletics, he enjoys engaging in counseling sessions, attending church and political meetings.
Tailored for you
