Members of the Bloemfontein-based Centre City Titanium’s Athletics Club have paid a fitting tribute to slain teammate Moeketsi Selemela (45) at the Comrades Marathon staged yesterday, Sunday (28/08) in KwaZulu-Natal. The club managed to secure 34 medals in silver and bronze. While 34 members finish the race, injury and ill-health forced two members to withdraw from the down run route mid-way, which started at the City Hall in Pietermaritzburg and finished at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.Following Selemela’s murder, the 36 members made it their ultimate goal to each secure a medal of the gruelling Comrades in his memory. He was killed on 17 July – 41 days before the staging of the race. The deceased runner had registered as the 37th member of the Bloemfontein-based athletic club to take part in the 95th edition of the ultramarathon dubbed the Ultimate Human Race. Selemela would have made his fifth appearance in the Comrades.Thami Binda and Thabang Selemela, brother of the slain runner, ran side-by-side from the start to the finish. They made a grand entrance in the Moses Mabhida Stadium, holding a poster bearing the face of the deceased Selemela.
Teboho Lemao, chairperson of the club, holds a strong view that the club’s 34 Comrades medals was a true reflection of their good intention and resonates with the winning spirit of the late Selemela. “The team came through and delivered on the promise and undertaking to run the 2022 Comrades in Moeketsi’s memory. We trust that Moeketsi will rest peacefully with the knowledge that we will always honour his memory at his club. This success was for him,” said Lemao. As part of the tribute, the club has created specially designed jerseys engraved with Selemela’s signature. Lemao believes the heart-breaking death of Selemela inspired the club to thrive despite adversity. “This is also historic in that this was the first time the club entered the Comrades and getting 34 medals is a fitting tribute, too,” he said.
