Dream of Olympics is over, for now
Promising local 1 500-metre athlete, Folavio Sehohle's Rio dream is over after a series of injuries and failing to make the cut in Europe.
The 25-year-old recently returned to the Lowveld when he realised he was chasing something that was out of his reach. “It was rainy and windy and a pretty tough year for South African athletes. I made the decision to come back as I was struggling to qualify. It was a waste of time for me to stay in Europe.”
Sehohle admitted that his Olympic dream was not a three-year-plan, but only after winning the South African Championships in Stellenbosch in April, he thought it might be possible. He took the tape at 3:42,21, beating bronze medallist, Johan Cronje, at the 2013 World Championships. Cronje also failed to achieve the qualifying standards for Rio.
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“I am not disappointed in myself as I have only started believing I can qualify after SAs. I know now that I have races to focus on. This year’s Olympics was supposed to be a learning curve. It was not about filling up the stadium, I just wanted to go there to run. It is my passion,” said Sehohle.
Lack of support from the local government, is not only a battle for Sehohle, but also for athletes like Tiaan Basson, Abednico Mashaba and William Mothosola.
Mothosola, an 800-metre athlete, ran a time of 1:46,71 at the SA champs, missing the qualifying time by a mere 0,72.
A week before the championship, Sehohle’s completed a 10-kilometre race just to have the necessary funds to book a bus ticket to compete in the SAs with the hopes of going to Rio.
“They work so hard and are so talented. We have sacrificed a lot. We need a good structure in place, but we have faith. It comes to mind that maybe I should just quit. After school I received a bursary at the University of Johannesburg.
“I could have had a nice job with a good salary, but I call it a gift from God. I am not running to impress anyone. God has better plans for me ahead. I have put in a lot of hard work to get where I am today and with all the training I have done before my injury, I am not scared to say that I can easily run a 3:31. I want to prove a point that I can make it to the top,” Sehohle said.
He plans to go to Kenya to train with three-time world 1 500-metre champion, Asbel Kiprop of this country, to measure himself against some of the world’s best athletes.
“I am thinking of moving to 5 000 metres. With my speed, it will be to my advantage. My mind was not yet ready and neither my training. I will come back for nationals and will work hard to go to the world championships in London, but I want to be based in Kenya. If I want to be a champion, I need to train like one.
“I’ve got a good story to tell. All the struggles I have been through have made me tougher and I want to set an example to the young runners who look up to me,” Sehohle concluded.
Also see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBnnkYH_sjQ
