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AFTER two years, the much-loved Comrades Marathon returns on August 28. Among those preparing for the iconic race is athlete Nkosikhona Mhlakwana who recently crossed the Two Oceans Marathon finish line in second place.
In 2019, Mhlakwana made headlines when he stumbled near the finish line and lost his ninth place position and completed his first Comrades Marathon in 11th place – just shy of a gold medal finish. Despite his struggle in the last leg, Mhlakwana completed the 87km up-run in an impressive time of 05:53:00. The following year, he returned to the Comrades Marathon, completing the virtual down-run (90km) in the same time.
Berea Mail caught up with the runner at Stella Athletics Club in Glenwood last week where Mhlakwana was putting time in at the gym with personal trainer Craig George.
Reflecting on his recent success, Mhlakwana said he completed the 56km Two Oceans Marathon in 03:09:00, running at an average speed of 03:23 per km. This adds to his impressive track record – this year, he also won KZN Best of the Best and PDAC 25km. Last year, he achieved one of his personal best times when he completed the 42.2km Cape Town Marathon in 02:16:33. “This was about 03:13 per km,” he said.
Mhlakwana hails from Howick where he grew up in Sphumelele township and completed his schooling before moving to central Durban to study at the University of KwaZulu Natal. He completed a Bachelor’s degree in Education in 2020.
When the pandemic broke out, he returned to Howick, continuing his studies virtually, before graduating with his honours degree this year.
With his studies completed, Mhlakwana is dedicating his time to his running career. He recently joined Hollywoodbets Athletics Club.
“This is a great opportunity for me. With the support of my team, Hollywoodbets Athletics Club, I am headed in the right direction to do well in my running career,” he said.
Training, diet and nicknames
Mhlakwana trains for three hours a day with a 1.5 hour session in the morning and evening on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. On Wednesday’s, he tackles longer runs.
The athlete measures 1.67cm, weighing in at 57kgs. His diet consists of the same type of food he ate growing up – mielie meal, rice, potatoes, meat and vegetables including beans, spinach and cabbage.
His determination on the track earned Mhlakwana the nickname Caster, after Olympic gold medalist, Caster Semenya. He was also dubbed ‘pit bull’ after his 2019 Comrades Marathon finish.
“I fell down with about 500m to go until the finish line. I was in ninth position, and two runners passed me, but I didn’t give up. I had to crawl and get up. These characteristics are associated with a pit bull – the way it grabs on to something and never lets go,” he said.
How it all began
The athlete was inspired to take up a running career by Prodigal Khumalo who spotted Mhlakwana’s talent at Moses Mabida Stadium when he took to the track as a school learner. His professional running career began in 2012.
“Because of the background I come from, we have to find ways to survive. Not everyone can survive through education, and jobs are scare in the country, so why not use your God-given talent to make a living and support your family? Instead of struggling to find a job, I decided to use what I have,” he said.
Now he is a bona fide runner with plenty of sponsors including: Hollywoodbets, 32Gi (sports nutrition), Threshhold Real MSM, Adidas, Bio77 and Orange Grove Diary. He works with several specialists, including: personal trainer Craig George, coach Prodigal Khumalo, physiotherapist Shamim Khan, and a manager. As a successful athlete, Mhlakwana is now the breadwinner in his family, supporting his two siblings, mother, partner and five-year-old son. His father passed away when he was growing up.
Future plans
Mhlakwana is passionate about South Africa’s youth.
“My dream for the future is to motivate the youth – to see them doing more than me. I am always going to think of my background and those who are still there,” he said.
The athlete hopes to encourage future generations to value the importance of education and recognising their talents.
Follow the athlete on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @Nkosikhona Mhlakwana.
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