Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 77, December 2015 | Page 33

THIRD RECIPIENT: RICHARD MALOSE MONISI
Known for his can-do attitude, Richard has shown that you need not let a disability come between you and your
dreams. He was born blind due to severe cataracts, and at the age of 10 he underwent an eye operation which
resulted in 5% sight in his left eye. Years later he first came into contact with the running fraternity through a Rocky
Road Runners Club member named Gerald Fox, who was training other blind runners and offered to train him as well.
Richard took to the sport immediately and this proud Green Number Club member completed his 11th Comrades
Marathon this year, in spite of losing his pilot mid-race for the second year in a row.
In the 2014 Down run, he displayed true tenacity when his pilot bailed 16km out of Durban – he simply hauled out his
white stick and ran the remainder of the route on his own, finishing in under 10 hours. This year he once again lost
his pilot, at Drummond, but he completed the second half of the race on his own and came home in an astonishing
8:50 to earn a well-deserved Bill Rowan medal.
Richard’s passion is to teach young disabled people that it is possible to exercise and join in mainstream events, and
the Comrades Marathon forms a huge part of his life. Together with his concern for others, comes the pride and joy of
being a much-loved and popular figure in the greater running fraternity.

JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR:
WESLEY BOTTON
This year’s Comrades Journalist of the
Year is Wesley Botton of The Citizen
newspaper. Wesley has completed the
Comrades Marathon four times, and
tells us that the Comrades is more
than a race, “It’s an overwhelming
adventure, and no matter how tough
it may be to complete the gruelling
event, something about it keeps
drawing me back.”

2015 WINNER’S BLAZER:
GIFT KELEHE

TOP CHARITY DONOR OF THE
YEAR: CAREL NOLTE
The CMA is exceedingly proud of its
Comrades Charity Drive, which benefits six
officially recognised charities, and this year
the CMA presents its Comrades Marathon
Top Donor Award for the most funds raised
to Carel Nolte, who raised R153,000. Carel
tells us that he loves everything about the
race: “The camaraderie of runners, the
people along the road who sing and cheer
and give you support and sustenance,
helping others after you have been helped,
getting thr