Homecoming for top mentor Sponge Seme
Coach is where he’s needed – KZN Athletics
In renowned middle- and long-distance coach Michael Sponge Seme, Tuks Athletics’ loss became KwaZuluNatal Athletics’ (KZNA) gain.
The revered mentor begins life at his new base in Newcastle today with the annual December training camp that has been held at the University of Pretoria for a decade.
Seme recently parted ways with Tuks after 10 years, but his relocation to KwaZuluNatal had more to do with his appointment as head coach of KZNA.
“Nationally this is not a loss, but Bra Sponge has gone to where he’s needed most,” KZNA president Sello Mokoena told Sowetan.
“Newcastle is the valley of mid- and long-distance talent. We wanted a coach-led academy as opposed to administrators running the academy.”
Mokoena said KZNA’s long-term vision was to challenge the Kenyans and the Ethiopians, starting with the 2020 Olympic Games to be staged in Tokyo.
“There was no place for us as the private houses that we had occupied all along would be demolished [this month],” said Seme, who hails from Osizweni, a township in Newcastle.
Seme said he had 120 athletes last year. His programme started with 30 in 2008 at the time when the then little-known Caster Semenya was part of the training group.
Other prominent names that were nurtured by Seme are Stephen Mokoka, Gladwin Mzazi as well as Poppy Mlambo.
With the Commonwealth Games taking place early next year, Seme said it would be near impossible to push some of his charges to chase berths in Team SA for the multi-coded event in the Gold Coast, Australia, in April.
“Some were busy with the exams, some have day jobs, so it’s always going to be difficult because the [national] team selection is in January,” he said.
Seme added that the camp in Utrecht was also open to track and field athletes.
He requested a R1 000 registration fee to cover accommodation, food and the training course.