Durban — A KZN woman who won third place at the Maritzburg SPAR Women’s 10km race on Sunday is set to represent South Africa at the World IAU 50km Championships in India in November.
Makhosi Mhlongo, 41, of Hammarsdale, who is also an Icons Marathon winner, said she could not wait to make South Africa proud at the world championships.
“Right now I have mixed emotions, nervous but excited as well. I always get goosebumps whenever I think about going to India. I don’t want to predict the outcome because that will put me under pressure. All I ever want to do is to make my country proud. Hopefully, I won’t disappoint them and I will do well,” said Mhlongo.
Mhlongo said this would be her first international competition.
“Although I am nervous about it, I am not worried at all because of the support structure from my team and coach Prodigal Khumalo. I don’t want to be distracted. I will focus on my training and just enjoy the moment,” she said.
Mhlongo said her preparations for the championships were going well. The Maritzburg Spar Women’s 10km Challenge was part of her training. She finished behind second-placed Jenet Mbhele.
Mbhele, of Umzimkulu, finished 10th overall in the Comrades earlier this year. She will also be competing in India.
The Maritzburg Spar Women’s 10km winner was 22-year-old Hillcrest runner Tayla Kavanagh who will be competing in the 5km World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia, in October.
Mhlongo has participated in many races including the Mandela Marathon and the SA Marathon. She finished her first Comrades Marathon last year but had to pull out halfway this year because of injury.
The 41-year-old said she wanted to prove that age was just a number and this was about passion, patience, consistency and discipline.
“The older you get the more mature you get. It becomes easier to be disciplined,” she said.
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