The world must feel like a very big place to Benoni Northerns Athletic Club (BNAC) middle distance ace Samukelo Msibi when he takes his place on the starting line among towering, powerfully built rivals.

Msibi, who on July 4 delivered a statement victory in the U16 boys’ 6km at the fifth CGA cross country league meeting at Kwa-Thema Stadium, rarely looks like the strongest athlete in the field, but appearances count for nothing once the race begins.

On the demanding undulating 2km course, he ran with confidence and maturity beyond his years, matching every challenge before breaking clear for an emphatic victory.

Just two weeks ago in the fifth league meeting in Daveyton, Msibi showed glimpses of his brilliance when he stormed to his first victory of the season in 21:16 after going stride for stride with U17 frontrunners Tyran Brooks and Sipho Mollo.

So it wasn’t a surprise to see the Northerns teenager lay down the marker with one of the best performances of the day by a BNAC athlete. He shot out of the start and quickly settled in front to lead a group of three runners.

He was locked in a battle with Kempies’ Michael Bekker after the first lap, with Mamepe Striders’ Hlulani Mafuyeka and Ethan Botha of Helpmekaar within striking distance. He dropped Bekker midway through the second lap before Mafuyeka drew alongside him approaching the 4km mark.

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As the pace intensified and the race wound down, the BNAC runner remained composed. He gradually opened a decisive gap before unleashing a devastating finishing kick to storm home unchallenged. He clocked a season’s best 20:12, dragging three athletes under 21 minutes.

Mafuyeka was four seconds off the pace, with Botha third in 20:39, while Bekker held on for fourth in 20:54.

Reflecting on the race, Msibi credited his rivals for pushing him to one of his finest performances of his young career.

“It was a really tough but thrilling race. The competition is tight. I’m super happy with my performance today,” he said.

“I pulled away because I realised the pace was slow. Hlulani and I spoke before the race. We planned this. I saw he was getting tired at the end, so I took over.”

The Daveyton youngster, coached by Nkanyiso Mthembu, has shown remarkable improvement this season.

He opened his campaign with a fourth-place 22:09 at the Dobsonville league meeting, before slashing 53 seconds off that time with his Daveyton victory. His latest performance saw him break the sub-20-minute barrier comfortably, underlining his rapid development.

Most importantly, the success has transformed his mindset and judging by his latest performances, that belief is proving to be as powerful as his finishing kick.

“I learnt not to fear anyone, irrespective of their body structure or age, because age is just a number.”

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