Cradock Primary School pupil Buhle Nqhibela will fly the Eastern Cape’s flag high at the Interprovincial Athletics Championships in Sasolburg on November 23.
This comes after the 12-year-old grade 6 pupil struck gold twice in the 100m and 200m races at the Eastern Province Championships, earning selection for the EP sub-youth team.
“I feel happy and proud of what I have achieved,” Nqhibela, who competes for the Cradock Athletics Club, said.
“It hasn’t been easy, it’s been hard work.
“My mom used to be an athlete as well, so I guess this thing runs in the blood.
“Beside athletics I also play netball.
“I am in the U12A team at school, but athletics is my first love.”
Nqhibela started running seriously at the age of nine, but it was only early in 2019 that she was introduced to Bonakele Ntshangase, who is now her coach.
She is the Eastern Cape Primary Schools recorder-holder for the 100m and 150m distances after setting new times in early 2019.
She ran a time of 13.13sec for the 100m and 20.25 for the 150m.
She also broke the SA Primary Schools record in the 50m.
Her coach said Nqhibela had the potential to be the next Caster Semenya.
“On the November 23 we are going to Sasolburg to compete in the Interprovincial Championships.
“We want to go there and break records,” he said.
“Buhle is the next Caster Semenya and you can tell from her running that she enjoys what she is doing.
“Our goal is to break the SA times at primary schools’ level.
“She went to compete this year for the first time, but lost out in the final.
“She is very disciplined and also does well academically.
“My long-term goal for her is to see her perform in the Olympics.
“As an athlete, I ran professionally and went as far as the World Championships, but I never went to the Olympics.
“Now I want Buhle to fulfil that dream.
“I believe she will reach that point.”
'Future Caster’ set to fly in Sasolburg
Image: SUPPLIED
Cradock Primary School pupil Buhle Nqhibela will fly the Eastern Cape’s flag high at the Interprovincial Athletics Championships in Sasolburg on November 23.
This comes after the 12-year-old grade 6 pupil struck gold twice in the 100m and 200m races at the Eastern Province Championships, earning selection for the EP sub-youth team.
“I feel happy and proud of what I have achieved,” Nqhibela, who competes for the Cradock Athletics Club, said.
“It hasn’t been easy, it’s been hard work.
“My mom used to be an athlete as well, so I guess this thing runs in the blood.
“Beside athletics I also play netball.
“I am in the U12A team at school, but athletics is my first love.”
Nqhibela started running seriously at the age of nine, but it was only early in 2019 that she was introduced to Bonakele Ntshangase, who is now her coach.
She is the Eastern Cape Primary Schools recorder-holder for the 100m and 150m distances after setting new times in early 2019.
She ran a time of 13.13sec for the 100m and 20.25 for the 150m.
She also broke the SA Primary Schools record in the 50m.
Her coach said Nqhibela had the potential to be the next Caster Semenya.
“On the November 23 we are going to Sasolburg to compete in the Interprovincial Championships.
“We want to go there and break records,” he said.
“Buhle is the next Caster Semenya and you can tell from her running that she enjoys what she is doing.
“Our goal is to break the SA times at primary schools’ level.
“She went to compete this year for the first time, but lost out in the final.
“She is very disciplined and also does well academically.
“My long-term goal for her is to see her perform in the Olympics.
“As an athlete, I ran professionally and went as far as the World Championships, but I never went to the Olympics.
“Now I want Buhle to fulfil that dream.
“I believe she will reach that point.”
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