Runner appeals for sponsorship after successful December training camp

East Athletic Club (EAC) middle-distance runner Gift Nkosi is among the star names in the province expected to challenge for titles when the CGA senior and youth track and field season starts on January 25.

Nkosi is expected to dominate in the province but it’s at the national track and field championships in April where she hopes to win her first title.

She clinched a bronze medal in the U20 girls’ 5000m race in 18:32.58 and finished the 3000m fifth after clocking 10:39.83.

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She then tasted glory at the cross-country championships in September, winning the U18 girls’ 6km title before concluding her season with victory in the women’s 10km at the Daveyton Street Mile.

The Etwatwa resident spent the festive season training with respected athletics coach Michael ‘Sponge’ Seme’s Sponge Group Training camp at the University of Johannesburg to prepare for the upcoming season.

The was crucial in that she was able to see what it means when Olympians like Stephen Mokoka, who boasts PBs of 02:06:42 in the marathon, 59:36 in the half-marathon and 27:38 in the 10km, say you can make a career out of athletics.

“The camp taught me teamwork, discipline and I was able to take some words of motivation from coach Sponge.

He started every session with a speech about athletics but Stephen Mokoka’s emphasis that we must treat fitness as our company will stay with me forever,” she said.

It was a tough camp as Seme took them through their paces, showing them that becoming a champion athlete takes hard work and sacrifices. It’s an experience Nkosi will cherish for a long time, especially considering her lack of self-belief and fitness prior to joining the camp.

“I’ve made lots of progress. When I arrived there, I was not mentally fit and my body was not strong enough. I could feel I wasn’t ready for the upcoming track season. After a week, it started to respond to coach Sponge’s programme and I felt strong and positive all the time,” said Nkosi.

Despite coming from the camp with a minor injury in her dominant leg, she feels she’s ready for the season but she faces the same problems which have been part of her life for the past few years.

She needs a sponsor and appealed to anyone to assist her with proper running shoes and a stopwatch, which she says is important to time her individual pursuits.

“I won’t let this injury disturb what I want to pursue this season. I want to new PBs and won’t stop praying for a sponsor to help me with running shoes and equipment like stopwatches that calculate distances because I also want to attend different road races this year.”

Nkosi’s main goal is to represent the country internationally because she wants to be an example to the children of Etwatwa that despite their circumstances, they could become champions if they work hard.

“I want to experience what it’s like to compete with international athletes and set a good example to other upcoming champions in the community, as well as my teammates.

“My last national champs gold has motivated me to try again until I achieve my long-term goal of competing at the Olympics,” Nkosi said.

To assist Nkosi, contact her on 079 263 9581.

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