Madibaz cross country star Bongani Banda targets a podium at the USSA competition hosted by Mandela University in Gqeberha on 13 nand 14 September.
Madibaz Sport’s athletics manager Bernard Petersen said it had been several years since Mandela University had hosted the event and that the 2024 edition at the South Campus would be the ideal opportunity to compete against the best in the country.
The event consists of men’s and women’s individual and team categories, while mixed relays (two men and two women) also form part of the programme.
Petersen said the runners had worked hard and that these efforts had led to consistent performances by men such as Bongani Banda, Sicelo Mashaba, Sinawo Poti and Sakhe Mahote in recent times.
Among the women, Amanda Detshe, who competed in the recent national championships in Vanderbijlpark, will be a formidable force while Chelsea Cooke is expected to provide great back-up.
Petersen added that the Madibaz, traditionally one of the powerhouse teams at the USSAs, had not featured on the podium for some time.
“We are targeting positions in the top three after our women and men finished sixth and seventh overall last year.”
Banda, a 24-year-old human resources student, was fired up to improve on his previous performances in this, his third, USSA competition.
“I’m not attending the national champs because all my focus is on the USSAs and I’m hoping to achieve at least a podium spot in the 10km race,” he explained his goals in the lead-up to the recent event.
“I know the route very well and the terrain is soft and the trees shield us from the wind,” Banda, who sports PBs of 33:16 (10km) and 12:50 (4km) on the course, said.
He has been sharp in 2024. Times of 1:07:23 in the Madibaz half marathon in July and 30:44 in both the VW and Motherwell 10km races provide the proof.
“I am comfortable with my form. We have done a lot of speed sessions and hill repeats to get used to coping with the cross country terrain.”
Detshe, who will line up in her first USSA event, was merely focusing on producing a PB.
“I see this as an important part of my programme because I will be up against some experienced runners.”
The 20-year-old, who was keen to make a significant contribution to the Madibaz effort, recently completed the 5km EP trials in 18:44. She boasts a PB of 14:55 over 4km of cross country running.
Friday’s USSA action will focus on the mixed relay events on a 2km course.
The short relay will be contested over four laps (one lap per runner) and the long event over 10. The first two athletes of each team have to complete three laps each while the other two only do two.
In Saturday’s individual competition, women and men will race over distances of 4km and 10km.