Motala remembered for athletic prowess
SPRINT athlete, Hassen Motala, who had been tipped as an Olympic hopeful in the 1970s, has died after a short illness.
Motala, 58, of Ladysmith in northern Kwazulu-natal, died last Friday evening.
The father of three was an icon between the years 1977 and 1981, when he remained unbeaten in the 100 metres event.
His achievements made news headlines in the ’70s when he was tipped as being Olympic material. However those hopes were dashed due to sports isolation under apartheid.
Lux Gordhan, head coach of Aspire Sports Coaching Academy, said he was teaching in Ladysmith when Motala was a little boy.
“I passed him almost every day. When I got there, there was no interschool sport in northern Natal and within two months we beat all other schools. He was inspired by all that.
“In 1977 he participated in Durban as a northern Natal athlete in the Natal championship. It was at that time I got him a pair of spikes and starting
blocks. We worked hard on his starts, where he was slow. But once he accelerated, he was unstoppable. I worked and honed his talent from a generic athletics coaching programme,” said Gordhan.
Gordhan said Motala was the only schoolboy to win the U14, U15, U16, U17 and U19 100 metres ever in the history of high school athletics.
He said Motala was the most humble athlete.
“He would have been one of the best athletes in South Africa had it not been for apartheid. If he had the support he would have made it to the Olympics,” said Gordhan.
Through consistent training, Motala earned a position as a South African champion. He was selected as part of the Natal high school team to participate in the South African championship. In 1977 he got two South African records in the U14 division.
His son, Zaid Hassen Motala, said although his dad was no longer involved in athletics, he encouraged people to participate.
“He wasn’t physically able to but did so in an advisory capacity. He was heartbroken that his athletic career couldn’t continue.
“When you look at his times at that time it was on par with the likes of Usain Bolt. He reminisced about the good old days fondly and with no bitterness,” said Zaid.
He said his dad, who was an auto electrician, enjoyed doing philanthropic work in the community.
Motala was survived by his wife Mooneera and three children.
He was buried last Saturday.