Athletes do it for Madiba in taxing 100km race
HUNDREDS of athletes yesterday tackled a gruelling 100km race in honour of the late former president Nelson Mandela, whose struggle for liberation was a long and painful journey.
Despite the long route on tar and gravel roads, running uphill and downhill, at times with cattle, donkeys and sheep crossing road, all were filled with the spirit of asijiki – no surrender.
Rasta Elias Chinomwe chose to run the distance backwards, while Hilton Murray pushed Anita Engelbrecht in a wheelchair from Clarkbury near Ngcobo to Mandela’s birthplace in Mvezo.
The “100km 4 mandela 100” run is part of Madiba’s centenary celebrations and is an initiative of marathon organiser Prince Vulithuba Bandile Sangoni of the AbaThembu’s AmaQiya clan, under the umbrella of Health is Wealth Athletics Club (HiWAC). The event was supported by the O R Tambo district municipality with other sponsors, including the Daily Dispatch.
O R Tambo mayor Nomakhosazana Meth, who recently had a bout of flu, braved the weather and was at Clarkbury High School [in Ngcobo] at 4am to shoot the starting gun and urge the “soldiers” to brave the tiring route via Mqhekezweni and Qunu to Mvezo, where Madiba was born on July 18 1918.
Sangoni described it as running in Madiba's footprints.
“Even though Madiba excelled in politics he was also a sportsman, and long distance running was one of his favourite sports,” said Sangoni.
The HiWAC pioneered the “100km by 100 runners for 100 years of Mandela” concept as a celebratory heritage run, which seeks to honour the global icon through running.
“The marathon seeks to trace the historic landmarks in the life and times of Madiba, the institutions and places which shaped his leadership skills in his formative years,” wheelchair-bound Anita Engelbrecht, 25, smiled.
“I am doing it for Madiba, I am doing it for my country. I am doing it for peace in South Africa and the world.
“This sacrifice is a little token of gratitude for Madiba.
“Let us all cut a pattern from Madiba and make South Africa a peaceful and united country to stay in. “I love Madiba, I love South Africa; let us all in his memory create a good citizenry,” she said.
Chinomwe said nobody in the world could say ‘no’ to doing good in Madiba’s name.
“He is an icon who loved peace and unity, and for so many years sacrificed for all of us.
This is to say thank you Tata,” said Chinomwe.
The runners were cheered on by all as they passed one village after another in an effort to reach the destination – his birthplace.
The runners, who came from Tshwane, the Western Cape, Johannesburg, Mthatha, East London, and elsewhere were not running for any prize or reward.
This was the first time that some of them had even been to Clarkbury, Qunu and Mqhekezweni. They all said they felt honoured to run in the footprints of the beloved icon.
GRUELLING TASK: Hilton Murray pushes Anita Engelbrecht in a wheelchair from Clarkebury near Ngcobo to Mandela’s birthplace in Mvezo for the 100km Mandela Day race yesterday.