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South Africa’s top middle-distance runner Ryan Mphahlele has already earned himself a place in Team South Africa’s World Athletics Championships squad set to compete in Budapest, Hungary, in August.
At the age of 24 years, Mphahlele from Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) shattered two records in the 5000m and 5km events.
Mphahlele also achieved the fastest 1 500m time ever recorded on South African soil.
In April, he posted 03:22:90 to win the Cape Milers Invitational at the Green Point Stadium, beating the fastest time on South African soil of 3:33:87 set by Johan Fourie in Stellenbosch in 1987.
Mphahlele won the CGA Provincial Track and Field Championships, senior men 5000m title at Germiston Stadium, smashing a 32-year-old Stadium record of 13:48:35 set by Richard Chelimo of Kenya during the Unity Games in 1992.
He clocked 13:46:57 to bag a gold medal and start his year on a winning start.
Mphahlele smashed the SA 5km record when he secured a fifth-place finish in 12 minutes and 24 seconds at Road to Record meet in Germany last month.
“I would not have done this without my coach Elvis Khoza and my training partners. I am looking forward to a great year, and I have to admit that this is my best year ever. My goal is to go to the World Championships and learn. We are preparing for the big event in Hungary,” said Mphahlele during his interview with SABC Sport.
Mphahlele says middle-distance runners can achieve something worth noticing if they work together and push each other to run fast times.
“There is talent in SA look at me, Tshepo Tshite, and Nkosinathi Sibiya. It would be great if three of us qualified for the World Championships in the 1 500m event. Nothing beats hard work,” added Mphahlele.
