A Bloemfontein-based athletics club showed the spirit of camaraderie whilst participating in the second Moeketsi Selemela Memorial Marathon on Saturday, 20 July.
The Centre City Titaniums Athletics Club staged the race as a fitting honour to their slain member, Moeketsi, who was killed on 17 July 2022.
Their camaraderie spurred other local clubs such as the Mangaung Athletics Club, Pamoja and Health Department Athletics Club to brave the freezing weather, paying tribute to Moeketsi, known as “Mo’s” and “Kakapa”. More than 100 participants took part, some of which carried two giant banners bearing the smiling face of Moeketsi.
The run culminated in a short prayer session at his grave. The emotionally charged athletes cried for justice and bemoaned the slow progress in this case, amid their insistence that the case should not go cold.
Now an annual event in the Mangaung calender, the race aims at keeping Moeketsi’s spirit alive within the running fraternity.
The memorial race was inspired by the club’s bagging of 34 silver and bronze medals during the 2022 Comrades Marathon and resonates with the latter marathon’s slogan: the Ultimate Human Race.
Moeketsi was bound to make his second appearance in the global race after failing to complete his debut in 2016 due to an injury. He had even registered as the Titaniums’ 37th member – fate, however, decided otherwise.
“Moeketsi was a very likeable, humble, and friendly runner. He was the father of two daughters, Atlehang and Reatisitswe, whom he affectionately called ‘Poppie’ and ‘Mookie,’ respectively.
“The Selemelas and the Bahlakoana clan expressed their gratitude and appreciation to all the athletes who honoured the invite.
“Moeketsi’s callous murder rattled both the running and cycling community, as these were his two most-loved sporting codes,” said Thabang Selemela, brother of Moeketsi.
