Why Cindy Nkomo is contesting for the CGA Road Running Commission

A former director of operations at Boxing South Africa, Nkomo describes herself as a lifelong sports administrator and an active athlete, with eight Comrades Marathon medals and eight Two Oceans Marathon medals to her name.

She says her deep love for running and passion for giving back to the sport motivated her to put herself forward to lead road running in the province.

The much-anticipated CGA elections will take place at Germiston Stadium on 24 January, and Nkomo insists she has a clear and well-thought-out plan for the future of road running.

"Coming into road running, the plan is very clear, which is to create a reliable, presentable, and orderly race calendar, that's been one of the issues that must be addressed amongst a few others."

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Nkomo, who grew up in a boxing-loving family once harboured ambitions of becoming Boxing South Africa’s CEO.

However, her passion for road running eventually took precedence.

She accepted the nomination to stand for Road Running Commission chairperson after previously serving on the commission in May, before the CGA board was dissolved and placed under administration by Athletics South Africa.

"I accepted my nomination, and the Road Running Committee Chairperson is the only position that I will be standing for. I have been a member of the committee since May, and I accepted the nomination because I've got a good understanding of the operations as well as the challenges and opportunities that currently exist."

Having competed in numerous international marathons, Nkomo holds a BCom degree in Marketing Management and is currently furthering her studies, in addition to her other administrative qualifications.

She says her experience working in the public sector has refined her leadership skills, and she now wants to create a strong platform for CGA road running that can attract sponsors and unlock opportunities for athletes.

Running in the colours of Hollywood Athletics Club, Nkomo told the national broadcaster that she plans to slow down her campaign over the festive season.

She says she will intensify her efforts at the beginning of the new year, as she currently wants to prioritise spending quality time with her family.