The lanky, lean and super fit middle and long distance specialist, Jerry Motsau is in the best shape of his life.

The NWU Puk Athletics Club athlete has one short-term goal and that is to once again be the SA Champion in the 1 500 metres, having previously achieved the feat in 2014.

‘2017 has been a great year for me. I believe that I am in the best shape of my life. My times are also very good and I am ready to be on top of the podium in the 1500 metres when the SA Championships come to Potch later this month,’ stated a determined Motsau who is also sponsored by Puma.

He is now going for gold at the SA Track and Field Championships that will be held at the Puk McArthur Stadium in Potchefstroom from 20-22 April – a track that he calls home.
‘Preparation has been going very well for me. In previous years, I was struggling to achieve good times at altitude and this year I have been running a 3:40 which is a good time. My game plan is to focus on my own race in order to achieve my goals and not to focus much on the other opponents on the track.’
Motsau grew up in Westonaria and ran in primary school from the age of 9. ‘I went to Hoërskool Jan Viljoen, which was an Afrikaans school and I got good training that enabled me to represent SA at the World Youth Championships at the age of 17. It was quite a tough but nice experience,’ he said.

‘My biggest achievement would probably be my bronze medal at the Youth Student World Championships in 2013 and becoming SA Senior Champion in the 1 500 metres in 2014,’ he added.

‘Running is a lifestyle for me and I have a huge passion inside me. The most difficult things for me are running early in the morning and sacrificing a lot of free time to stay committed to the sport,’ said Motsau who has been training under renowned middle and long distance running coach, Jean Verster since 2012.

This professional athlete has the world at his feet and believes that he can achieve success and his future goals by completing each individual short-term goal first.
‘I firstly want to win the national championships and then qualify for the World Championships in London in August. I would also like to do consistently well in Europe and to better my personal bests.

My long- term goals are to break the SA 1500 metre record (Johan Cronjé currently holds the record of 3:31.93) and to become a World Champion,’ he stated boldly.

The Olympic dream is also something that Motsau desperately wants to achieve and if he keeps up his form, fitness and hard work then the 2020 Olympic Games can become reality for the 26-year-old.
‘I believe if you work hard you can achieve anything in life.’
Jerry Motsau’s personal bests
PB: 1500 metres – 3:36.74
PB: 800 metres – 1:47.61
Seasons best (1500 metres) – 3:40.54 in Durban.