Rise of SA’s new queen of the road
Kesa takes early lead in Grand Prix
While the focus of South African athletics has been on the constant rise of sprinters, another good story has been unfolding – almost unnoticed – in women’s road running.
Distance runner Kesaoleboga Molotsane is the emerging force in a territory that has for long been dominated by the likes of Mapaseka Makhanya, the Phalula twins Lebo and Lebogang, as well as Irvette van Zyl.
Kesa, as she is commonly known, powered to her first Spar Women’s 10km Challenge win in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
This follows her 5000m triumph at the SA Championships in Potchefstroom a fortnight ago.
With her victory on Saturday, Molotsane, 25, assumed the leadership of the Grand Prix leaderboard from two races having also ascended the podium as a runner-up in the first leg of the six-race series in Cape Town last month.
“I’ve peaked at the right time for someone who’s been doing track and cross country for so long,” she told Sowetan.
On Saturday, Molotsane showed her endurance when she closed on Van Zyl with 2km to go in a foray reminiscent of her comeback in Cape Town where she also blitzed past the defending Grand Prix champion towards the finish.
Though she regards herself as a slow starter, Molotsane’s strong point lies in how she executes her kick into the last stages of the race.
The Kovsies (University of Free State) runner however, cautioned that she was not thinking about qualifying for the IAAF World Championships in London as yet.