Molefe to fly SA flag high at aerobics championship
MOLEFE Moeletsi from Atteridgeville, Tshwane has qualified to represent South Africa for the third time at the Federation of International Sports, Aerobics and Fitness World Championships taking place in the Netherlands.
The 28-year-old is a sport aerobics athlete in the Proteas team and the head coach at the Dalia fitness club.
The Federation of International Sports, Aerobics and Fitness is an international, independent, democratic and non-profit federation dedicated to sport aerobics, fitness and hip hop.
It is dedicated to the development of the aerobic and fitness industry on an international level.
“I first participated at the renowned International World Championships in 2017 in Australia, and the Netherlands the previous year. I can’t wait to outdo myself in the individual routine as well as the team routine this year at the championships,” Moeletsi said.
He said his passion for gymnastics and aerobics started at age 11 while attending Makgwaraneng Primary School in Atteridgeville.
His curiosity towards gymnastics developed further, and when the opportunity of joining the school team came, he signed up.
Soon after that he competed at the provincial games, at which he placed first.
He then got selected to represent Gauteng in Durban for the Love Life games, where he ended in third position. The following years he participated in a number of competitions and won in provincial and national games.
Moeletsi has participated in the South African Gymnastics Federation champions almost all his school life.
After finishing his matric, for financial reasons Moeletsi decided to quit gymnastics and work for two years.
But because he was used to the fitness world he decided to make a comeback to sport aerobics and began coaching the drum majorettes and gymnastics team at Banareng Primary School, Makgwaraneng Primary School and Kgabo Primary School in Atteridgeville. The teams he coached went on to participate in the national championships in Kimberley.
During that time he slowly got his groove back, when he and a group of aerobics exercisers competed at provincial level and qualified to represent the province at a national competition in Cape Town.
The team then qualified to represent South Africa for the first time at the Federation of International Sports, Aerobics and Fitness International World Championships in 2017.
“The fitness world is so much alive… it is filled with coaches and teammates who inspire, which is why I decided to find another way to focus on my passion for sport and gymnastics and started coaching the drummies and gymnastics team.
“I know that a healthy body houses a healthy mind, which is why I am teaching these primary school pupils physical education.”
He noted that since he began coaching primary school pupils it had been hard work to qualify for the international championships, and he ended up not going there for financial reasons.
He pleaded with sponsors to help the sport grow in townships as he had experienced the same ordeal when growing up.
“All of these years I have been struggling with sponsorships but because I have a passion for fitness, I always end up getting to these championships and coming out on top,” he said.
The championships will take place from October 16 to 20.