Unsung coach who won Comrades
Ex-track champ Xolani Mabhida guides Mthembu
He never lined up in the Comrades Marathon before and neither has he grabbed attention as a coach.
But Xolani Mabhida’s contribution to South African athletics can now be measured from the fact that the unassuming mentor has given the country a Comrades champion in Bong’musa Mthembu.
While the ultra-race star has been basking in glory, not so much for the man who plotted his historic triumph on Saturday.
So who is Xolani Mabhida? “I come from Sphumelele township in Howick in Pietermaritzburg,” he said.
“By profession, I am an educator at the Umgungundlovu TVET College, specialising in sports coaching. That is why it is easy for me to understand the anatomy of an athlete.”
Mabhida was reluctant to reveal his age.
“I look very young, but I like to keep my age confidential as many people often want to judge me by my age,” chuckled the coach, a retired track athlete who boasts numerous medals in the 400m and 1 500m, though his specialist event was 800m.
He represented SA at the IAAF World Championships in the two-lap event at junior and youth levels between 2006 and 2008.
“I was self-coaching but I won medals and broke records. I believe God gave me the talent to coach,” said Mabhida, the KZN 800m youth record holder.
Mabhida is a Level 3 coaching certificate holder, specialising in middle- and long-distance coaching.
His coaching journey started in high school where he was inspired by Manqoba Mngqithi, the Sundowns assistant coach.
“Manqoba was my teacher and soccer coach at the time. I learnt a lot from him as he rose up the ranks from being an amateur coach to guiding a PSL team to a Cup final win,” said Mabhida, in reference to Mngqithi’s MTN8 triumph with Golden Arrows in 2009.