Help young runners with kit

Benoni Northerns Athletic Club (BNAC) runner and juniors coach Nkanyiso Mthembu is pleading for assistance in training gear and running shoes for his young athletes.

Mthembu, from Daveyton, mentors young athletes who run under BNAC. These athletes are among the best performers in the current Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) cross-country season.

“I need help,” he said. The runners need training gear, shoes, sweaters, and shorts.”

“People can also donate clothes because some of these children are from a disadvantaged background. They need clothes. I often wash their training gear to ensure they are prepared for the competition.”

He said it is daunting to run this club because of a lack of sponsorship. He had to spend his own money, which severely affected him.

“Sometimes, I pay the transportation fees to and from the competition venue. I also have to ensure they eat proper food and have enough water to carry them through the day.”

One of his top talents is Siyanda Madlabane, who is in the top three in his age group in the province.

A budding athlete with a promising career in both track and field and long-distance running, Mthembu watched on as his teammates prospered while he faced setback after setback.

Despite his best efforts in his 15 years in the sport and an opportunity to train at the Tuks Sport in Pretoria, he could not find the fire to power him into stardom.

He now wants to use his experience to help Madlabane and his teammates succeed and get the opportunities denied to him as an athlete.

“When I got a job in 2021 at Siphethu Full Service School, the principal knew my love for athletics. He asked me to train learners at the school. That is where I fell in love with training young children and helping them discover their talents,” he said.

Mthembu still runs and received his first Comrades Marathon silver medal during the down-run in June. He credited his youngsters for helping him rediscover his love for the sport.

“I was driven to continue with athletics because I wanted these kids to get better opportunities than I did. I know how hard it is to survive as an athlete with no support or sponsor.

“I also wanted to get them off the streets and give them something to do when they are not at school,” he said.

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