Image: WERNER HILLS
Nelson Mandela Bay professional athletes continue to be in limbo and out of pocket with competitive running still prohibited even though the country will switch to lockdown level 1 on Monday.
After almost a six-month layoff from competitive competition, Athletics SA (ASA) will eventually be engaging with sports, arts and culture minister Nathi Mtwethwa about the chance of returning to normality.
While most other codes submitted plans to resume training and competition‚ ASA steadfastly refused‚ claiming it was too dangerous in the Covid-19 climate and pointing out their insurance did not cover infections.
Top long-distance runner Melikhaya Frans, from Ikhamva Athletics Club, said the break in competitive racing had been a daily struggle.
The 30-year-old last ran a race in February.
“The past six months have been really tough, but I have been surviving because people have been helping me out,” Frans said.
“I have been training hard and whenever it was announced that the country would be going to a specific level, I’d be excited, thinking that athletics would be allowed.
“But that never happens and even with the last announcement nothing was said about athletics.
“I miss the feeling and the atmosphere on race day, but what I miss the most is the people who support me during the race, who shout out my name. I miss all of that.”
Frans’s coach and manager, Mike Mbambani, said Bay athletics had taken a hammering during the Covid-19 period. .
“I was a little bit lucky because Melikhaya Frans is preparing for the London Marathon on October 4.
“So now we have built our training schedule around that and normally our athletes help each other when one is preparing for a race.
“So that kept us busy, but the rest of the athletes are living in the red, especially the ones we call ‘full-time athletes’ like Frans.”
Top female long-distance runner Ntombesinthu Mfunzi was a bit more positive.
“I think for us the Nedbank runners things are different because Nedbank have been keeping us busy with the virtual running series they introduced during the Covid-19 period.
“In July and August we had a 10km race and the last week we had a 32km.
“On October 10 we will have the final race, the 42km.”
She said the virtual series was open to all runners and it gave athletes an opportunity to have a goal to train towards.
“We do not know when we will go back to the running calendar, and the virtual runs have become the new normal now.
“We were so grateful when Nedbank introduced that because for the Nedbank runners there are prizes for the top 10 athletes in every race.”