Big prizes at Aganang run

MOLETJIE – TANZANIAN-born athlete, Furaha Mollel and Free State-born Tseiso Moeketsi were crowned the champions of the sixth Aganang 15 km Mayor’s Marathon held annually in Moletjie last Sunday.

Mollel came first in the female category while Moeketsi won the male category.

Both walked away with a trophy and gold medal each as well as R3 000 each.

Mollel said she came to live in South Africa at the beginning of March this year and was training in Gauteng with the Nedbank Athletic Club. “I took part in the 21 km Polokwane marathon and came first last week Saturday.

“Winning marathons doesn’t come easy, one must be hard at training and know your diet. I’m crafting my career in athletics here in SA, I’m participating in each and every marathon in order to keep my body fit,” she said.

“Since I joined the Nedbank team under the leadership of Lesley Makaye as manager, I’m now able to do more than before. I’m expecting more from my manager,” said Mollel.

The Gauteng Nedbank team manager, congratulated Mollel for putting the Nedbank team on the map. He said they sent Mollel to participate in the Aganang Marathon knowing that she would come back with a prize.

“After meeting Mollel three weeks back, I realised that she is a hard worker and a good athlete.

“I told her that with her ambition, she can be the best athlete and she can also improve the status of the team.

“For us this 15 km marathon was just a warm up for the upcoming Two Oceans marathon,” said Makaye.

The South African athlete, Moeketsi, who scooped the first prize in the male category told the people to expect more from him as he was now prepared to participate in every marathon.

“It is a privilege for me to compete in such a high rated marathon. With this win I have gained confidence that I can challenge other well-known athletes of this country and internationally. I’m looking forward to win more prizes and hope that with ambition and hard training, I can make it,” Moeketsi said.

Moletjie Athletics Club secretary, Kaizer Mokaba, urged all the youth from Moletjie to participate in sports as they could benefit from doing so.

“We as the Moletjie Athletics Board, urge all athletes around Moletjie to join us and participate in the development of sports.

“We also encourage all the individual athletes to join teams as this will help them to access information regarding marathons and also be able to know the athletics rules,” Mokaba said.

The mayor of Aganang, Maria Mokobodi, said she was happy with the attendance which included elders, youth and children.

“This race was meant to develop and expose athletes hidden in the rural areas of Aganang and also to promote and encourage people to have a culture of participation in sports to keep themselves healthy at all times,” Mokobodi said.

She further called upon first time marathon participants to continue practising so that they could be fit all year round.

Prizes, medals and trophies were awarded to the winners, with the first place man and woman receiving R3 000, a gold medal and a trophy each.

The man and woman who finished second walked away with R2 000 and a silver medal each and the third place man and woman received R1 000 and a bronze medal each.