Tshepo Tshite smashes national 3000m record

The 28-year-old star, who trains under renowned coach Samuel Sepeng at the University of Pretoria, delivered a commanding performance in the 15-lap race, finishing second in a time of 7:38.17. His run eclipsed the previous South African short-course record of 7:39.55, set by Elroy Gelant in Belgium in February 2014.

Tshite finished just behind Portugal’s Isaac Nader, who claimed victory in 7:38.05.

The North West-born athlete continues to cement his place in South African athletics history and now holds four national records: the indoor 1500m (3:35.06), outdoor 1500m (3:31.35), indoor mile (3:54.10), and the newly claimed indoor 3000m event.

It was a strong evening overall for Sepeng’s training group. His other athlete, world indoor 800m gold medallist Prudence Sekgodiso, finished seventh in the women’s 800m race, clocking 2:04.26.

Sepeng, who was named South Africa’s National Coach of the Year in 2018, will be encouraged by the performances as his athletes set an early-season benchmark ahead of major competitions later this year, including the Commonwealth Games in Scotland and the African Senior Championships in Ghana.

Athletics South Africa (ASA) deputy president John Mathane praised Tshite’s early-season form and hailed the achievement as a sign of greater things to come. Mathane, who also serves as president of Athletics Gauteng North (AGN), expressed excitement over Tshite’s prospects for the season.

READ: NSA President Mami Diale unpacks first 100 days in office

“Congratulations to Tshepo—he fully deserves this record. He ran exceptionally well,” said Mathane. “I also want to congratulate his coaches and support team for the work they’ve put into his preparations. This is a fantastic start to the season, and we are incredibly proud of him. It sets the tone for what could be a memorable year, and we’re excited to see what he delivers going forward.”