THABANG Mosiako has hit Mzansi’s road running scene like a breath of fresh air.
The 21-year-old Mosiako, a member of the Nedbank running club, has a promising career ahead of him. He started the athletics season off with a bang by winning his first major title at the Dischem half marathon event in Bedfordview on Sunday.
The athlete, who hails from a rural village in the North West, defeated seasoned campaigners Desmond Mokgobu, Lucky Mohale and his training partner Joel Mmone to claim the highest spot on the podium.
Mosiako, who is coached by Pio Mpolokeng, clocked a time of 1:05:53 in the 21,1km race.
The year looks set to be a big one for the young runner, as Athletics South Africa has invited him to take part in World Cross Country Championships trials in Benoni at the end of the month.
The World Champs will be held in Kampala, Uganda, on 26 March.
Mosiako was discovered by Mpolokeng at the age of 17. He took the young runner to Klerksdorp and enrolled him in his development programme.
Mpolokeng also spotted the talents of SA middle distance specialist Gladwin Mzazi when Mzazi was just a youngster of 11.
Mosiako became the youngest athlete to secure a top 10 finish at the Old Mutual Two Oceans half marathon in Cape Town last year.
The youngster, who is eyeing a spot in Team SA for the World IAAF Championships in London, England, later this year, returns to the Mother City for the Two Oceans in April.
He will also compete in the SA Senior Championships in North West in May, where he is set to face off with 5 000m record holder Elroy Gelant.
Mpolokeng could not stop singing Mosiako’s praises to SunSport: “He is still young, but so talented and he works hard.”
“He only had a break while he wrote his matric exams last year, he has been training ever since. He won a 10km race in Madagascar in December. The boy is going places!”
Mosiako ran at the Southern Region cross country competition in Lesotho as a teenager, finishing fourth.
The young runner says Stephen Mokoka is his role model and he wants to follow in his footsteps.
Mosiako said: “I want to be the best. I have been working on my sprint finishes, I’m getting it right. My focus this year is on improving my times.”