South Africa is not without its fair share of athletic talent, especially in distance running. When it comes to young talent, Tiisetso Malungane takes the crown. A sixteen-year-old middle-distance runner from Pretoria, he is the son of Catharine Malungane, herself an experienced marathon and ultra-marathon runner, who began training him from the tender age of three. Tiisetso’s record and talent in running are already being compared to Olympic silver medallist Bayanda Walaza.
Malungane recently delivered a remarkable display at the Curro Podium Grand Finale in Tshwane, where he secured an impressive distance double while also breaking a few records along the way. Over the past two months, the teenager has produced a series of standout performances. He claimed victory in the boys’ 800m at the Hoërskool Menlopark Invitation Meeting in Pretoria, clocking 1:48.26 — just 0.59 seconds outside the long-standing South African U18 record of 1:47.67 set by Mandla Nkosi more than 26 years ago. He also shattered the national U17 3,000m record at the Curro Podium Grand Finale and set a new meeting mark in the 1,500m at Pilditch Stadium in Pretoria.
His continued progress has placed him firmly on a long-term development pathway that could potentially lead to the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
As seen from the extract above, Tiisetso Malungane is a rising star in distance running. He represents a future where South Africa has the opportunity to win another gold or silver medal. What is required on this path is the development of distance-running talent in young athletes like Malungane. This must be achieved through the support of both the Department of Sport and Culture and private sponsors. The country is teeming with talent like Malungane, and his track record shows he could set the stage for a new record should he reach the Olympics in 2028. Malungane will be competing against athletes made of sterner stuff – just as he himself is. He will face the world’s best in distance races, where he will have to test his mettle. Talent is only the tip of the iceberg above the surface; beneath it lies perseverance and effort.
Oudtshoorn, Mpumalanga, hosted the 49th South African Biathlon Championships on March 21 and 22. A contingent of 42 athletes represented the province in what was described as a world-class event at the De Jager Sports Complex.
The Mpumalanga team returned home with several prestigious honours, most notably celebrating gold medallists Adrian Lopes and Hannah Morgado, as well as silver medallist Dawid de Villiers. All three are Curro Nelspruit learners. The province’s performance is particularly impressive given that several key athletes were unavailable this year due to commitments at the SANJ Swimming and SA Athletics events. Adrian competed in the boys U11 category. In the 400m run he froze the stopwatch on 01:09.01, earning 1 055.98 points. He scored 1 043.95 points in the 50m swim with a time of 00:35.21. His points total of 2 099.93, just 2.13 more than that of silver medallist Albert John van der Spuy of Boland, gave Adrian the gold medal. “My toughest battle on the day was the last 100m on the 400m sprint, and pushing myself in the last 10m of the swim to win my heat,” said Adrian.
“Biathlon has taken a lot of dedication, training and concentration in the past three years. I was aiming for a podium place, but I won gold.”
It is encouraging to see young athletes promoting the sport of running by competing in the biathlon. Running is an excellent exercise for maintaining fitness, and competition in races is healthy as well. Biathlons, marathons, and other forms of distance races provide both professional and amateur athletes with opportunities to test their mettle. Distance running is a path to fitness and health, requiring participants to focus on diet and training to maintain tone, physique, and strength. This disciplined regime improves an athlete’s overall speed. The accumulation of points during the race determines the winner, and Adrian Lopes proved he could put in the effort to surpass his competitors.
Nonetheless, these sports – whether for men or women – are about having fun as much as testing one’s abilities. Although winning gold medals is not the primary priority, it remains a delightful surprise when achieved, whether gold, silver, or bronze. Lopes, Morgado, and de Villiers have all proven themselves fortunate in this regard.
Article written by:
Yacoob Cassim
Journalist at Radio Al Ansaar
