'We need to develop athletes in Soweto' - Jerry Modiga

Despite months of infighting and political wrangling which threatened to derail the race, this year's African Bank Soweto Marathon was celebrated as one of the most well-organised editions of The People's Race as nearly 15 000 runners took part featuring a star-studded field headlined by defending champion Onalenna Khonkhobe, Two Oceans champion Joseph Khoarahlane Seutloali of Lesotho, 4-time Soweto winner Irvette van Zyl and ultra-marathon queen Gerda Steyn who made her debut.

Eventually it was Seutloali who avenged his narrow defeat to Khonkhobe last year who emerged victorious in the men's race as 2023 champion Ntsindiso Mphakathi took second, with Khonkhobe third, while the women's race was won by Kenya's Margaret Jepchumba as two debutants in Zambia's Elizabeth Mukoloma and Steyn claimed second and third respectively.

Modiga says more must be done to develop running talent in Soweto. Photo Credit: Lebogang Pita.

While applauding organisers for assembling a top class field of elite athletes, 1991 Soweto Marathon champion Jerry Modiga bemoaned the lack of winners from Soweto, particularly in the women's race where even though Mapaseka Makhanya finished as runner-up, no local athlete has ever claimed race honours. He stressed that South Africa's biggest township needs fresh role models to ignite the ambitions of its next generation of top runners.

"Statistically, only three guys from Soweto have won the race. It's Joshua Peterson, Ntsindiso Mphakathi and I," he told #TheTopRunner. "The gap between my win in 1991 and Peterson's victories in 1998 and 1999 is six years. But the gap between Peterson and Tata (Mphakathi) is over 20 years. This tells you something is wrong. We need to develop athletes in Soweto who will win. No woman from Soweto has won the race. This has to be corrected. We need role models to inspire the next generation."

ASA Road Running Chairperson Enock Skosana poses with the legends. FROM LEFT: Nkodima, Modiga, Tjiane, Skosana, Mahlangu, Peterson & Chauke. Photo Credit: Lebogang Pita.

Modiga was speaking during this year's 30th edition of The People's Race which saw organisers invite a number of legends to be part of the event. Modiga flanked by Peterson, former women's champion Sarah Mahlangu, Nixon Nkodima, Charles Tjiane and Frans Chauke graced the occasion as they emphasised the positive role that champions of yesteryear can play in the sport.

Going down memory lane, Modiga who set a 42,2km personal best of 2:14:14 in July 1991, recalled how patience and race strategy were his secret weapons during the inaugural race in 1991, allowing him to outfox distance giants Israel Morake, Joe Sebata and Charles Vilakazi. 

"In a marathon, you don't discover yourself in the beginning. You strategise and plan. You have a target – it can be to bide your time until the 35km mark or at halfway and it depends on how strong your competition is. That's how you judge your marathon. I'm strong on the uphill. When we reached the Meadowlands freeway, that's when I took off and eventually won the race," he said.