Last weekend was extremely busy in the athletic world with the South African Cross Country Championships in Pretoria and a Border team of 88 athletes aged eight to 60-plus, male and female, travelling mostly by road.
It is a mammoth undertaking, and the team arrived safely on both the outward and return journeys from and to Buffalo City, with numerous pick-up points from the centre of the city, through to the outlying areas and on to Komani and Aliwal North.
Following the progress of the team was interesting, with regular feedback, photographs and general updates available on a WhatsApp group.
The President of Border Athletics, Sicelo Pongoma, did not travel to the event, happy in the knowledge that his cross-country team, led by Vuyo Stoto, had all under control.
He was ecstatic with the success of the project.
With an 8th-place finish on the medal table, what leader of a province the size of Border would not be.
Border finished ahead of our neighbour and friends down the coast representing Eastern Province, along with Boland, Transkei, Limpopo, Griqualand West and Vaal Triangle.
That is encouraging and bodes well for the future.
Meanwhile, Border Athletics have the 2026 Quadrennial General Meeting scheduled for Saturday, October 10.
A notice reminding affiliates that nominations close tomorrow was received this week.
We should hope for some continuity in a province that needs quality in race and competition meetings, something that is by no means guaranteed, as has been clear from time to time.
It is possible that some of the nominations received could rattle progress made in recent times, whereas continuity where deserved would ensure growth.
Many miles away, one of the province’s top athletes, Luyolo Ngcongolo, had flown to the City of London, England, to run the Big Half, which started on Tower Bridge, an amazing landmark for those running a race for the first time and finished at the famous Cutty Sark in Greenwich, which is every bit as inspiring.
We made contact with Luyolo this week, and when asked how the race went, he replied, “It was great, but just too windy, maybe because it is the end of summer on this side. I ran 69:33.
We were also in touch with Brian Kotela, the man responsible for the invite to run in London. He told us that Luyolo had felt good upon arrival and was in good spirits in the build-up to race day.
“He wanted to know the elite line-up for the Big Half race. I shared the information with him, identifying four strong British runners, which made him the fifth fastest on paper. We agreed that he would sit in the chasing pack, avoiding going out too fast too soon.”
Kotela adds that he feels the 14-minute first 5km split was too fast. The top three were in a 13-minute range, and others who eventually finished in the 6th and upward positions went out in 15min.
Ngcongolo eventually finished 20th in a very strong field. Kotela commented that his foundation always invites at least two runners to support one another; however, Cwenga Nose, the invitee, pulled out due to an international call-up. He added that further opportunities for Ngcongolo will be pursued.
Back home, meanwhile, Cambridge High School, where Tony Viljoen was an inspired headmaster, hosted the first track meeting of the new season last weekend and what a good meeting it was, with some outstanding racing for so early on.
It once again confirmed what enthusiasm and dedication provide organisationally and performance-wise.
On the following day, the Tony Viljoen Marathon provided numerous challenges with so large a field. There were, however, great times recorded on what is a fast, downhill course.
Many Comrades qualifiers will have been recorded, and by the time this column appears, the entries for the 100th Comrades will surely have reached the ceiling of 28000. Never to happen again.
I remember all the great years of assisting athletes deliver gold, silver, bronze and other sought-after medals, both locally and across the country and look forward to doing so again on the greatest Comrades stage of all time.
It could be your “Greatest Story Ever Run.”