The three steps Siyanda Madlabane took to conquer the notorious Germiston Soccer Club hill were enough to remind his competitors that he meant business as he successfully defended his provincial title at the CGA Cross Country Championships on August 15.

The Benoni Northerns Athletic Club (BNAC) middle-distance runner produced a tactically astute performance, giving his closest challenger, Helpmekaar Kollege’s Ruben Kleinsmith, little opportunity to respond as he covered the two-lap course in 12:58 in the U15 boys’ 4km race.

Kleinsmith finished second in 13:05, seven seconds adrift, while Helpmekaar Kollege’s Adriaan Coetzee completed the podium in 13:11.

“It was a good race. Ruben gave me a nice pace and I managed to stick with him until I launched my attack,” said Madlabane.

After a compact start, Madlabane tucked himself into the middle of the field before beginning to pick off runners after the first kilometre. He eventually settled behind Kleinsmith, where the pair remained until Madlabane injected pace early in the second lap and quickly opened a decisive gap.

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His attack proved decisive, but it was his second assault on the hilly section of the course that left scores of supporters lining the tape wondering how he made the climb look so effortless.

“I wanted to win,” he said simply when asked about the moment.

Approaching the hill, Madlabane landed at its base with his left foot before launching himself forward, landing in the middle with his right foot and then leaping to the left before landing at the top on his left foot.

There was nothing particularly spectacular about the three-step movement itself. It was the manner in which the 2024 national champion executed it, late in a gruelling and fast race with another kilometre still to run, that caught the eye.

Madlabane’s provincial triumph also served as a statement ahead of next month’s ASA Cross Country Championships in Pretoria on September 5.

Fueled by the disappointment of last year’s national championships in Middelburg, where he lost his title, the BNAC runner said he is determined to show that he has the fight required to reclaim it.

“I know it’s going to be tough. I’ve come back wiser and stronger. Coach Nkanyiso and I will look at a few things to work on. We’ve trained hard all season to race easy. Now we need to get a good result in Pretoria,” Madlabane said.

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