School friends push each other at District 17 athletics competition

Two friends from Laerskool Mooifontein Primary School, Alwande Madonsela and Thabiso Mothogoane, recently tested their sporting abilities at the District 17 (D17) Athletics competition.

The learners competed in different categories, with Madonsela taking part in sprints, long-distance running, relay and high jump, while Mothogoane participated in cross-country and soccer.

Despite their different sporting experiences and results, both learners said the opportunity to compete and support one another made the event memorable.

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For Madonsela, one highlight was not a sporting result but an act of kindness towards another competitor.

“My biggest achievement was when I helped a child get up after he fell very badly and managed to make it to the top 20. I felt proud of that action and happy and proud of myself for competing in D17,” he said.

Madonsela prepared for the competition by practising at school and occasionally running uphill to improve his stamina. He trained for two weeks before the event.

The heat was one of his biggest challenges on the day, but he took time to cool down before continuing.

Although he felt he had performed well, he admitted that his results were not quite what he had hoped for and he did not qualify for the next round.

Looking ahead, Madonsela hopes to set a record in either sprinting or cross-country and develop a stronger competitive mindset.

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He also said having his friend alongside him at the competition, even though they participated in different categories, helped motivate him.

“It felt very comforting and good to participate with my friends, even though it was in different categories. Our friendship helped us improve and push each other to our very best,” he said.

Mothogoane said he chose cross-country and soccer because he felt confident in both disciplines and believed they allowed him to perform at his best.

He credited his mother as his inspiration, explaining that she had also participated in athletics when she was younger.

To prepare physically, he ran with a friend to a designated area, while mentally preparing himself for different possible outcomes.

One of his proudest moments was finishing eighth among the competitors in his race.

“I didn’t really perform well according to my expectations, but I was satisfied with the position I got because it was close to what I had predicted,” he said.

Mothogoane did not progress to the next level and explained t

hat he had previously achieved a personal milestone by progressing beyond D17 to compete at the Gauteng Championships.
He said his school, teachers, family and teammates played an important role in supporting his sporting journey. The school provided food and drinks after the competition, while teachers ran alongside learners towards the end of races to encourage them.

One lesson he took away from the competition was the importance of pacing himself rather than sprinting at the start of a race.
He hopes to qualify for the Gauteng Championships again in future.

For both learners, however, their friendship remained one of the most meaningful parts of the experience.

“What made it special to be in that competition with my friend was that we were in it together and were able to support each other. We encouraged each other by saying that we would make it and nothing could stop us,” Mothogoane said.

He added that having a friend to share the experience with made competing more enjoyable, particularly when they could celebrate their achievements together.