Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 102, January 2018 | Page 15

Usually some athlete inspires a youngster to lace on
a pair of spikes, but not so with Kesa. “My feet. It
was feet that inspired me to run,” she giggles. “I just
wanted to run everywhere. People at home started
calling me ‘Zola Budd,’ but I had no idea who that
was until I was at school and my then coach Rufus
Botha told me who Zola was.”
Kesa’ typical day starts with her alarm going off at
5:30am and then the roller coaster ride starts. “First it
is training, then quickly shower and get to work to start
at 9am. Fortunately everything is so close together. I
train on campus, work on campus and ‘sneak’ away
from the office for my classes before it’s back to work,
and then it’s training again in the evening. But I am very
blessed, because the office is incredibly supportive of
my studying and athletics, so I do not feel too guilty in
taking the time ‘off’ from the office.”
These days she is coached by Sarina Cronje, and
Kesa is full of her praise for her mentor. “Sarina is
like my second mother. I joined her in 2011 and she
has always been very supportive. As I said, I always
knew I would have a really good year, but just did not
know when that would happen. At times it did seem
to be taking forever, yet Sarina kept on reminding
me to have faith in the process and quietly went
about building me up, physically and mentally. And
then it happened. Phew, I am still digesting just what
happened in 2017, but Sarina was an integral part
of this year’s success and I am really grateful for her
ongoing support.”
TAKING IT IN HER STRIDE
When quizzed about the next season, Kesa says “I am
not yet sure what 2018 holds; we still need to discuss
what we want to achieve. But I am very excited about
the future. In my athletic career I want to look back
one day and have a medal from the Olympics, the
World Championships, Commonwealth Games and
African Championships, but I also want to leave a
legacy away from the competition arena. I have it in
mind to open an academy that will support young
girls to achieve in athletics, as there is a big need for
something like that. For now, though, I am going to
enjoy my rest period at the malls. I am unashamedly
a mallrat who loves to window-shop and look at the
latest fashions.”
KESA’S GREAT 2017 RESULTS
SA Track & Field Champs 5000m
Potchefstroom
21 April
SA 10km Champs
Nelspruit
4 November
1 st 16:22.30
1 st 33:38
World Cross Country Champs (10km)
Kampala
26 March
35 th 35:47
World Student Games (5000m)
Taipei 27 August 9 th
16:01.76 (PB)
Spar Women’s 10km Series
Cape Town
2 April
1 st
32:56 (PB)
Port Elizabeth
6 May
1 st 33:19
Durban 11 June 2 nd 33:31
Pretoria 5 August 3 rd 34:53
Pietermaritzburg
20 August
1 st 34:21
Johannesburg
8 October
2 nd 35:07
15