Oscar’s inclusion cost Magakwe dearly

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Simon Magakwe was South Africas fastest athlete last year. Yet, Oscar Pistorius got the Olympic nod ahead of him. Photo by Lee Warren

If Athletics SA had chosen its fastest athlete, Simon Magakwe, to compete at the London Olympics rather than double amputee Oscar Pistorius, he would have been able to put food on the table for his family.

Instead, the 27-year-old African sprint champion continues to battle to support his family and his running career.

Although Magakwe did not qualify for the London Olympics last year, he ran six “A” standards compared with Pistorius’s one “A” standard.

Pistorius, who is accused of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, failed to make an impact in the London Olympics, only managing to reach the semi-finals of the men’s 400m run.

Magakwe beat the 100m qualifying time on six occasions – including a 10.06sec effort which equalled the national record – and the 200m criterion twice.

There were several other athletes who did not even achieve a single “A” standard who were also chosen rather than Magakwe.

Sascoc refused to bend the rules for the African champion, who they say did not meet the agreed selection criteria, yet bent the rules for Pistorius and a few other athletes.

Magakwe is not only the African champion but is also the national 100m record holder and has trained and run against Jamaican world sprint champion Usain Bolt.

In an interview with Carte Blanche two weeks ago, Athletics South Africa (ASA) board member Geraldine Pillay admitted that Pistorius had received preferential treatment and that he should never have been allowed to participate in the Olympics.

Pillay was quoted as saying: “Sascoc should have applied their standards, which they have set, to everybody across the board, regardless of who you are, regardless of your profile.”

Magakwe, who hails from Potchefstroom, North West, told the Saturday Star this week that not being able to compete at the Olympics had had a devastating effect on his career and on his personal life.

“I feel very sad and hurt because I was not going to have problems financially and I would have been able to prepare for any competition without worrying about what my family was going to eat,” said Magakwe.

Magakwe said he had been taken by surprise when he heard Pistorius had been chosen to compete at the Olympics and he would be left behind.

He trained daily for four years to prepare for his dream participation in the games.

Magakwe believes that if he had been chosen to compete in London, his life would have changed drastically “because sponsors were interested in helping me go forward”.

However, his potential sponsors seemingly lost interest in Magakwe as he failed to make it to London.

The world’s fastest man Usain Bolt contacted Magakwe to ask why he had not been chosen to compete in London.

American sprinter Tyson Gay also contacted Magakwe, and Gay’s coach posted a tweet on Twitter to express his shock about Magakwe’s being left out.

“Tyson’s coach wrote on Twitter that the Olympics was all about bringing your best and that he was surprised that I was left out as I’m a SA record holder and Africa’s number one.”

Magakwe said he did not know whether he would have walked away with a medal in London, but believes he should have been competing at the Olympics rather than many other athletes.

Magakwe says his dream of competing at an Olympic games is not completely dead , with the Rio de Janeiro 2016 games coming up, however, he is struggling for confidence, and financially he is battling.

Should he qualify for the 2016 games, he hopes to show the world what he is all about.

Magakwe said that he had felt deeply let down by Sascoc and Athletics South Africa as they had not even informed him that he was not in the Olympic team travelling to UK.

Asked if he had felt any bitterness towards Oscar Pistorius, Magakwe said no.

”My family told me that maybe God has other plans for me and life does not stop.”

“They told me that good things comes to those who wait so maybe my life will change soon.

“I just pray that it will happen soon, I just need support from South Africa to fulfil my dreams.” – Saturday Star