Hani to be honoured in marathon
LADY FRERE-born long-distance running specialist Xolile Yawa says running the fifth annual Chris Hani Freedom Marathon in Sabalele, Cofimvaba today will be his way of honouring Chris Hani.
The well-decorated marathon runner. who represented the country at the 1992 Summer Olympics just after South Africa was readmitted into international sporting events, said people should want to be like the former SA Communist Party leader and Mkhonto We Sizwe commander.
Yawa, who also went on to win bronze at the 1992 African Championships in Athletics in the 10 000 metres race, said they wanted Hani’s name to live on through generations to come, and there was no better way of achieving that than by hosting such an event.
Yawa, who’s also a nine-time South African national championships winner – in the 10 000 metres track event in 1985 to 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996 and the half marathon twice in 1986 and 1988, said he related to what the race stood for as he was born in the province.
“I’ve been with the race ever since it started, and having dominated in the athletics space for a very long time I have a lot of experiences to share with aspiring athletes.
“For example, there’s track racing, cross country and road running, and I’ve earned Springbok colours in those categories respectively.
“And I think in the history of South Africa there was only two of us that did. It was me and Matthews Temane,” he said.
Yawa, who’s best known for winning the Grand Slam of road running – the 1993 Berlin Marathon – said he was proud of how far the local running event had grown over the years.
“This race started from humble beginnings and nobody knew about it.
“We started it with less than 1 000 athletes – maybe 700 with the local Chris Hani District residents and from some upper regions, and it has grown with stature.
“It developed into an international spectacle that attracts African giants from as far as Kenya, Lesotho and Swaziland. So we grew in numbers the past four years.
“Because I think in our second year, we were just over 1 000 athletes running this race.
The following year we were close to 2 000 runners, and I think this year we will do much better.”
He said the race in honour of the struggle stalwart was always attended by champion runners and ordinary athletes who just love the sport.
“This is a fundamental race in our region because it’s a day whereby people from all walks of life converge to have fun.
“It helps our community to also have something to look forward to, because it’s a festival in terms of its standards.
“People go there to meet new friends, to sell things – but the most important thing about it is that it keeps the memory of Chris Hani in our minds and hearts.”
Yawa said the race kept every South African grounded to understand that freedom in this country didn’t come easily.
“Hani worked very hard from when he was still a young boy, until where he ended up as a colossal individual known throughout the world.
“This is where we start understanding him, where we start wanting to be like him, and if you are an athlete you must emulate his persistence so you can be better at what you do.
“And if you go there it means that you think of the sacrifices made by Chris Hani, you also support the views that he had and you are showing love for him by remembering him,” said Yawa.