Young athlete defies injury to finish race

Benoni Northerns Athletic Club (BNAC) junior sprinter Karabo Makgalemele showed his resilience and determination when he carried himself to the finish despite a hip niggle mid-race in the last CGA age-group track and field meeting on November 9.

Such is the youngster’s strength that regardless of a nagging tendon niggle and feeling a sharp pain in his hip 40m into the 80m sprint, he still made it across the line in 13.38.

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“I’ve ran with a hurting tendon for a while. Sadly in my last race, I suffered a sharp pain in my hip 40m into the race but I didn’t give up. I hopped to the finish and crossed the line second last.”

He didn’t win the race. He was nowhere near. Like his sister Bontle who hopped to the finish despite hurting her knee at the start of her race in the first league, Karabo used that setback to demonstrate his superhuman spirit.

Perhaps the fact that he watched the ASA cross-country championships in September from the sidelines, explains the Springs resident’s exploits on the red tartan inside Germiston Stadium.

While at Izak Steyl cheering for Bontle, Karabo knew fully well he was supposed to be there. But he took that setback as motivation and after three league meetings on the track, the youngster has reinvented himself as one of the most exciting U11 sprinters in the province.

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He now has an opportunity to earn his provincial colours when he competes in the provincial champs on November 23.

“My performances have been good. But I need to push myself even further so that I can go to the nationals,” he said.

Karabo clocked 12.81 and 15.21 in the U11 boys’ 80m and 100m sprints in the first league meeting. In the second meeting, he improved greatly with season’s best 11.53 in the 80m and 14.05 in the 100m.

“I want to meet the required time set by CGA and run as fast as I can to win my races. Ultimately the goal is to make the CGA team for ASA sub-youth championships in Bloemfontein next month,” said Karabo.

Sharing his love for sprinting, the youngster, coached by Nkanyiso Mthembu, said he would like to pursue the sport in the long term and follow in the footsteps of his idol, sprinting great Usain Bolt.

After his first full year competing on the CGA circuit, Karabo explained he never thought he would be where he is today if it were not for his hard work, determination and support from his parents, Tsietsi and Nosipho.

“I’m proud of myself. I’ve discovered something I’m good at and with my coach’s help, I’ve realised my sprinting potential and have improved my times greatly.”

Karabo’s biggest athletic lessons are discipline and recovery and that in track and field, milliseconds matter the most.