Polokwane pacer makes history in London

POLOKWANE – Polokwane’s very own Bothwell Matewe made history recently when he was invited to pace at the prestigious TCS London Marathon, joining 148 bus drivers from over 30 countries and five continents.

Matewe, a familiar voice on radio as a sports host at Energy FM and Choice FM, is also the first bus driver from Limpopo to pace at World Marathon Majors including Tokyo, New York, Sydney, Boston, Berlin, and Chicago.

With more than three years of pacing experience, Matewe says his biggest reward is witnessing runners achieve personal goals they once thought impossible. “It’s a huge confidence booster, and it often translates into other areas of their lives. It’s about giving people hope, proving that if you believe it, you can achieve it,” he said.

Matewe travelled to London on April 24 and returned on April 29. With more than 56 000 runners participating, he described the event as the most massive and vibrant he’s experienced. “Nothing compares to the TCS London Marathon in terms of scale and atmosphere. It was a huge honour and privilege to be part of it,” he said.

Beyond the race itself, the experience offered valuable global networking. “Meeting fellow pacers from other continents was enriching. This kind of exposure opens your eyes and broadens your perspective.”

Matewe said that pacing isn’t only about getting runners across the finish line within a target time. “A good pacer is defined not just by the number of runners in their ‘bus’ at the end, but by how many they encouraged or helped along the way – even if just for a kilometre.”

He also spoke about adapting from kilometres to miles in preparation for the London race. “I had about four weeks to train using minutes per mile. It was refreshing and insightful.” Matewe hopes that more South African social runners can access such opportunities. “It helps one grow and understand marathon culture beyond our borders. It’s a victory not just for me but for every local runner who dreams big.”