Long jumper reaches for greatness
Hoërskool Bergvlam learner is representing South Africa at the African Union Sports Council Regions 5 games.
When the U/20 Youth Games kicks off in Bulawayo this weekend, local athlete Maudas Banda will participate. This long jumper of Hoërskool Bergvlam represents Team South Africa at the African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Regions 5 games.
Besides athletics, it includes basketball, boxing, judo, netball, soccer, swimming and tennis. Maudas also used to sprint and run hurdles but burst forth as a remarkable long jumper earlier this year, an athletics event he started doing only two years ago.
The youth games caps an amazing year for the 16-year-old who started off by winning a bronze medal at the Mpumalanga championships. He then represented the province at the national schools championships in Polokwane and at the national athletics championships in Stellenbosch where he won a gold medal for boys u/17. He won with a distance and PB of 7,33m which earned him a place in the South African team, and the Africa Championships in Botswana in May.
From here he qualified for the AUSC youth games where he will participate in an even older age group. Maudas was also named his school’s sportsman of the year.
“It wasn’t easy. I had to train very hard,” he said. This he did with his coach, Johan Kruger of Lowveld High School. He also plays rugby and soccer. “I prefer soccer, but if I ever go professional, it will be for long jump.”
He finds himself in auspicious company at the AUSC games with Olympic medallist Hezekiel Sepeng coordinating the athletes for Athletics South Africa. Maudas’ first event is scheduled for Monday. Should he qualify, he will participate in the men’s long-jump finals the next day. The team is expected back on December 11.
