Having achieved feats that many athletes can only dream of, veteran long-distance runner Stephen Mokoka says the oldest Comrades Marathon runner and finisher, Johannes Mosehla, inspires him to keep going for as long as he can.
Mosehla, who is an 84-year-old villager from Limpopo, shattered his own record earlier this year when he laced up for the 90km Comrades Marathon and crossed the finish line with a time of 11:12:27, almost 50 minutes before the cut-off time.
Mokoka said he had recently been asked when he would finally call it quits and hang up his running shoes.
He said his response to that was that if an 84-year-old found a reason to continue running, then, at age 41, he had a lot more running to do.
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“A lot of people nowadays, when they bump into me, keep asking: ‘When will you retire?’ And I remember responding to one of them by saying: ‘What about that old man from Limpopo, who ran a Comrades Marathon at the age of 84?
“‘So, why are you saying I must retire when there is a man out there who still feels inspired to keep running at that age and I must retire at 41?’
“And the answer that I got was that people are tired of seeing me being beaten and outrun by the younger athletes.
But I am like: ‘Everyone has a piece. If you have a cake, just take a slice and share it with others. Because I had my chances of being crowned a champion several times and leading. But times have changed and it’s for these guys to lead me now. I must not run away. I am not a coward.’
READ: Oldest Comrades finisher Johannes Mosehla lacing up to shatter his own record
“I will keep on going and I will keep on enjoying what I do. And that is what keeps me going,” he added.
In his 20-year running career, Mokoka has featured in four Olympic Games and produced a 50km ultra-marathon world record in 2022.
He holds a record three Cape Town Marathon titles and six Shanghai Marathon victories. Mokoka has also represented South Africa at numerous World marathons and he finished fourth-place finish in Doha 2019.
- Johannes Mosehla, an 84-year-old from Limpopo, is the oldest Comrades Marathon runner and finisher, completing the 90km race in 11:12:27 in 2023.
- Stephen Mokoka, a 41-year-old veteran long-distance runner, cites Mosehla as his inspiration to continue running.
- Mokoka has competed in four Olympic Games and set a 50km ultra-marathon world record in 2022.
- He holds three Cape Town Marathon titles and six Shanghai Marathon victories.
- Mokoka acknowledges younger athletes leading the sport now but commits to continuing his running career.
Mokoka said he had recently been asked when he would finally call it quits and hang up his running shoes.
He said his response to that was that if an 84-year-old found a reason to continue running, then, at age 41, he had a lot more running to do.
READ: Kabelo Mulaudzi sets sights on Joburg Run Your City after Hollywoodbets podium finish
“A lot of people nowadays, when they bump into me, keep asking: ‘When will you retire?’
“‘So, why are you saying I must retire when there is a man out there who still feels inspired to keep running at that age and I must retire at 41?’
“
But I am like: ‘Everyone has a piece. If you have a cake, just take a slice and share it with others. Because I had my chances of being crowned a champion several times and leading. But times have changed and it’s for these guys to lead me now. I must not run away. I am not a coward.’
READ: Oldest Comrades finisher Johannes
“I will keep on going and I will keep on enjoying what I do.
In his 20-year running career, Mokoka has featured in four Olympic Games and produced a 50km ultra-marathon world record in 2022.
He holds a record three Cape Town
