Thembinkosi Cele with his fellow Hollywoodbets Athletics Club, eManzimtoti branch members.
FAITH HLONGWANE
Durban — With almost a month to the 2024 Comrades Marathon, Thembinkosi Cele, 54, founder of the Hollywoodbets Athletics club, eManzimtoti branch, is training hard to break his previous record and to motivate those who look up to him.
As a leader, the pressure to be better lies heavily on Cele’s shoulders as he prepares for another of his biggest races.
“If I fail a lot of people will be discouraged, so I must make sure that in everything I do, I don’t only think of myself, I think of the people that look up to me,” Cele said.
Cele’s journey started in 2000; by 2001 he had qualified for his first Comrades Marathon. In 2011, he was in a car accident that resulted in him being in a wheelchair and weighing more than 130kg. With a lack of proper training, he paused his passion until 2016.
Nevertheless, Cele’s dedication to the sport ensured he did not give up, and in 2017, he joined Hollywoodbets Athletics Club and formed a branch at eManzimtoti.
Sphamandla Msweli, 30, a member and a first-time qualifier for the Comrades marathon, said Cele had instilled in him the belief that he would conquer anything if he worked hard.
“My qualifying time shows the training programme facilitated by Cele is doing wonders because this was my first marathon,” Msweli said.
He also shares Cele’s cheerleading and motivating abilities, regardless of whether club members are slow or top runners.
Following the death of one of his recruits in the 2022 Comrades Marathon, Cele said he knew he had to train harder and run on rougher surfaces for more than 50km to prepare for an easy run in the upcoming marathon.
Cele’s son, Ntando Cele, said he admired his father.
“Many people are afraid to join the Comrades Marathon due to them knowing that many people die from it, but Mr Cele runs it every year knowing that he could die.
“He does not let fear stop him from achieving his dreams and goals,” said Ntando.
Cele’s club has won three Hollywoodbets Athletics Club awards consecutively. This year, he hopes to break his previous race record.
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Daily News
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