Kwa-Thema – Zanele Maisa (29), a cross-country runner for eight years, describes herself as someone who loves sports and people.
“I am a supportive individual, especially towards young ones dedicated to the sports industry. When I began to gain exposure in cross-country, I developed more interest in it.
“My family and coach motivate me to take my running career seriously because of the potential and dedication I put into it,” she explains.
Maisa gained exposure in cross-country competition at a Cebtrak Gauteng Athletics event at the age of 19.
However, her interest had developed in primary school. Encouragement from a high school teacher helped make her competitive.
Maisa is an emerging long-distance runner who continues to sharpen her performance. She is focused on improving her speed for the upcoming 10km road races while balancing the demanding nature of cross-country.
Zanele Maisa is a cross-country runner. Photo: Zanele Maisa
“I am concentrating on speed work, and my training is aimed at improving my performance in road racing. I compete across multiple disciplines, including the 800m and 1 500m in track and field, 4km cross-country races and 10km road races,” she says.
She says cross-country is one of the toughest aspects of her sporting journey.
“Cross-country is challenging, especially because of the courses we run. It requires you to be mentally and physically fit,” she says.
Despite the challenges, Maisa maintains a positive mindset.
“I overcome my challenges by staying focused, positive and believing in myself. That courage keeps me moving forward,” she adds.
Her commitment to consistent training is central to her progress as she works with her coach to improve performance and reach new milestones.
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Among Maisa’s proudest achievements is her performance at the South African 10km Championships in Bloemfontein, where she came fourth, while achieving a personal best time of 35:30.
She also delivered a strong performance at the World Cross-Country 10km trials held at the Tshwane University of Technology this year, finishing fifth with a personal best of 37:40.
“These races are among the best competitions because you compete with the top elite runners. Standing alongside them motivates and encourages me to work even harder,” she says.
In track events, she recently competed in the 5 000m, aiming to break the 16-minute mark, and recorded a time of 17:26. She views every race as a learning opportunity and emphasises the importance of applying training preparation during competition.
“I have learnt that every time you stand on the starting line, you must give your best and trust the preparation you did during training,” she says.
Her long-term ambition is to break into the top 10 elite women competing at the World Cross-Country Championships and to represent SA internationally, including at the SA 10km event in Tallahassee, USA.
For now, she remains fully focused on her running career while encouraging young athletes to stay committed to their dreams despite life’s challenges.
“We live in a world with many challenges, but people must stay focused and pursue their dreams. Work hard towards what you want and stay consistent,” she advises.
Maisa thanks those who continue to support her.
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