Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 109, Aug 2018 | Page 31

TRACK & FIELD
Tornado
from Tembisa
Young track talent Ryan Mphahlela enjoyed a
breakthrough 2017-2018 season on the track, and now
looks set to take on the world. – BY MANFRED SEIDLER
T
embisa is a large township in the
north of Kempton Park on the East
Rand with a population of just under
500,000. It is also home to the Tembisa Athletics
Club, which hosts the annual Tembisa Street Mile and
10km road race. The club also hosts a 5km time trial
every Wednesday at the Living Waters Bible Study
Centre, and on 10 January this year, 19-year-old Ryan
Mphahlela made a massive statement as he flew to
a time of 14:39 to set a course record for the Time
Trial. He had already represented SA at the 2016
African Cross Country Champs and 2017 World Cross
Country Champs in his age category, but that time
trial made the older runners sit up and take notice!
To prove this was no flash in the pan, Ryan then went
on to destroy the field in the 1500m at the Central
Gauteng Championships, in a race that included
former SA Champion Folavio Sehole and Dumisane
Hlaselo, who have been considered part of the big
three in the event in SA for a number of years. Ryan
was uncatchable, running from the front to win in
3:44.03, and it was that result more than his 5km time
trial that prompted the organisers of the first Liquid
Telecom Grand Prix event in Ruimsig on 1 March to
allocate a starting berth to Ryan. He literally grabbed
the opportunity with both hands, finishing fourth in
a field that included the then U18 World Champion,
George Manangoi of Kenya, who recently added the
U20 World Title to his name, and Ronald Musagala
of Uganda, who boasts a best of 3:33.65 for 1500m.
A mere seven tenths of a second separated second
from fourth.
More to Come
The pundits were even more impressed when Ryan
once again showed his trademark never-say-die
attitude a week later in the 3000m at the second
Grand Prix meeting in Pretoria. He was the only
athlete able to stay with World Championship
10,000m silver medallist, Joshua Cheptegei,
who many believe will be the next force in world
5000/10,000m racing with the retirement of Britain’s
Mo Farah, and the crowd were on their feet as Ryan
tracked the Ugandan lap after lap.
Joshua eventually shook the youngster off with a
final surge at the bell to win in 7:49.48, but Ryan
was warmly applauded as he continued to chase
the Ugandan down the home straight and finished
second in 7:59.96. Having watched the young South
African post a marvellous sub-eight in his debut at
the distance, the Ugandan said, “He is a big talent.
He shows no fear, and that is good. He will give some
people a big scare in the years to come.” High praise
indeed, but Ryan calmly took in all in stride. “I love to
challenge myself, and racing Josh showed me I do
not need to fear anyone. Respect yes, fear no.”
International Exposure
On the back of those two performances, Ryan was
then invited to Europe to race in a series of middle
distance events in Belgium and Holland, after he had
represented SA again at the African Cross Country
Champs. He won his first 1500m at the Nivelles
Meeting International on 23 June, clocking 3:41.44,
just a second off his lifetime best of 3:40.44. A week
later he had to settle for fourth in his next 1500m with
a time of 3:42.55. “I ran a tactically poor race there and
paid the price. One thing I have learnt is that racing in
Europe is different to racing in South Africa. Here I can
play a big role in dictating the race, but in Europe there
is so much more depth and I cannot lead from the
front. It also shows I need to get stronger and faster.”
His final race in Europe was over 3000m on 7 July
at the Hilversum Arena Games. This time he did
lead from the front, clocking 7:53.96 for a huge,
satisfying personal best. “That is my season for
2018. Now I will prepare for the 4km at the SA Cross
Country Championships in September, which will be
first attempt at a senior national title, and my focus
will be on qualifying for the World Cross Country
Championships. Then in 2019 I want the SA 5000m
title. I think that will be my best event in the future,
but I still want to qualify for the 1500m at the World
Championships in Doha next year.”
Ironically, Ryan was a keen footballer and had no
idea of his running talent until he was entered in a
cross country race in Grade Four. “I was so shocked,
but I won, and it was then that coach Elvis started
coaching me and I’ve been with him ever since,” says
Ryan. (That’s Elvis Innocent, the coach at Tembisa
Athletics Club). It is here, in Tembisa, that this
remarkable young talent is staying level-headed as he
prepares himself to continue taking on the world’s ‘big
guns,’ and after this season, they have been warned!
Ryan’s PB’s
1500m
1 mile
3:40.44
3:59.44
3000m
5km
7:53.96
14:39
31