Jonathan Kivido, a logistics management student at the University of Johannesburg, has spent the past four years building his identity as a runner, growing from a young athlete into a semi-professional competitor shaped by discipline, patience and belief.

His passion for athletics began with inspiration drawn from global sprinting icons. “What inspired me most about wanting to run was seeing individuals on TV like Usain Bolt, Tyson Gay, Yohan Blake and Fred Kerley.”

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Kivido has competed nationally, provincially, and at the university level, shaping his athletic growth.

From each race, he said, came lessons that shaped him both physically and mentally. “The lessons I took from every race are crucial developments that I, as a younger athlete learnt now as a semi-professional — discipline, patience, relaxation and enjoyment.”
He explained that discipline lies in preparation: “Did you stretch the night before? Did you get enough sleep? Did you eat right? Did you drink water? Did you warm up properly? There are so many factors you have to be disciplined in.”

Patience, he added, comes from understanding that progress is not always immediate. “Sometimes you may not have peaked as other athletes have, sometimes your body responds differently than what you expected it to in a race. All these things take patience. You’ve got to be mentally and physically prepared for anything to happen, whether it’s a cramp or injury.”

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Relaxation, he believed, is essential in performance. “Being tense during a run could lead you to run slow, hence why my coach, Lezlo Bramwill, taught me to always be relaxed but aggressive. This is an art form all professional and semi-professional athletes practise in race and in training.”

Jonathan gives thanks to God for his journey as an athlete. “He’s put me in positions I never saw myself in. His grace and love brought me this far — to meeting my coach at UJ in December 2024, Lezlo Bramwill, to meeting Olympic stars like Akani Simbine, to racing with big players, to my family supporting me through this — my father, my mother and my two siblings. I’m grateful for my friends, too. All of this is truly God’s timing and my purpose.”

He has big aspirations in 2026. “My biggest hopes are for me to make it to the U23 World Athletics Championship in China, to also better my personal bests and to have an amazing journey with God alongside me this season. I really want to take everything He’s given to me, whether good or bad, and learn from it, especially with this water crisis I’m experiencing.”

For Kivido, each race is more than competition; it is part of a journey defined by growth, belief and purpose.

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