Local athletes shine at Birchwood Half-Marathon
Moletsane was followed closely by his township neighbour Action Ramaboea of Ivory Park Athletics Club
Moeketsi Moletsane of the Tembisa Athletics Club has put the Tembisa community on the map after he won the 2018 Birchwood Half-Marathon held recently at the Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre with a time of one hour, 12 minutes and 11 seconds.
Moletsane was followed closely by his township neighbour Action Ramaboea of Ivory Park Athletics Club with a time of one hour, 16 minutes and 11 seconds.
Ramaboea said he was fit and ready for the marathon and was actually aiming for the first place title.
“I regard athletics as a motivation and inspiration towards our youngsters. I take this privilege to inspire young people to get more involved in the sport since they can make a living out of it. Some people do make athletics a career to be able to put food on the table,” added Ramaboea.
He explained that Ivory Park and Tembisa youngsters are suffering from a dangerous demon called nyaope which has blinded them from dreaming big about their future.
“It is painful to see these very same talented and intelligent people roaming around taxi ranks, street corners and shopping complexes abusing drugs and alcohol substances. Local schools are witnessing an ever increasingly alarming number of pregnant teenagers at high school level, because of the so-called ‘blessers’ tempting them with expensive items and later drop-out from school. I am a people’s person and I always worry when I see young people destroying their lives with such useless things. That’s why I prefer to coach youngsters in sport and keep their minds active,” said Ramaboea.
He is encouraging unemployed youth to refrain from drugs, alcohol and crime and use their talent to make a living.
