Godfrey Mokoena on inspiring the youth
Olympic long jump silver medallist Godfrey Mokoena grew up in a culture of violence and endured the tragic death of his cousin. spikesmag.com spoke to the South African about how he hopes his inspirational speaking can help his nation's next generation.
Life in modern South Africa can be a tough, violent world.
According to official statistics more than 18,500 people were murdered in the country last year – an average of more than 50 per day. The
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reported that more rapes take place in South Africa per capita than in any country in the world.
South Africa also has an international reputation for carjackings and other violent crime so it is little surprise that Godfrey Mokoena – his country’s sole 2008 Olympic medallist in any sport – admitted life was tough as a youngster when spikesmag.com caught up with him ahead of the Aviva International Match at Glasgow last month.
Raised during the 90s in a small rural town 60km east of Johannesburg called Ratanda, violence and terror were the norm.
Many homes were attacked and burned down and, even during peaceful times, entertainment was at a premium.
Thankfully, however, the long-legged Mokoena found a release through sport. "I did sports as much as I can to keep me away from trouble," he told spikesmag.com. "
There was a lot of people who lost their way. There was a lot of gangsterism going on. A lot of youngsters doing drugs, so sport took me out of that trouble. I just had to stay focused and believe that one day I will achieve something."
An accomplished footballer and basketball player it was only when his teacher – Elna de Beer – recognised his talent for athletics aged 13 that he considered track and field as a potential option. With a new focus and a fresh goal, Mokoena saw a route out of his home town.
"When I grew up I saw a lot of murders, especially during the political times in the early 90s," he explained. "A lot of houses were burned down, a lot of people lost their jobs. A lot of people lost close friends and close family.
I lost my cousin in these political times – he was like a brother to me... he was stabbed to death. I was aged about 14 at the time and he was 26."
Mokoena stops short of saying the tragedy acted as a spur for the rest of his career but his naturally athletic ability saw him quickly excel on the international stage.
At the the 2004 World Junior Championships he won triple jump gold and long jump silver.
At the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne he landed triple jump silver and last year he emerged as a fully fledged hero in his homeland by winning the World Indoor long jump title before taking Olympic silver in Beijing.
Mokoena, a deeply religious man, believes South Africa is a far less dangerous place to live in today than when he was a youngster but he still accepts the country has its problems.
He understands his position as a role model for thousands of kids and has developed a reputation – even at the relatively tender age of 23 – as an inspirational motivational speaker.
Post-Beijing he was carrying out three speeches per week at schools and explained, "Youngsters like to hear from their sporting heroes. I was targeting the schools because they need inspiration. Especially the kids these days because of the violence at schools [means] they need the motivation and courage to keep them on the right track."
Mokoena sees positive evidence of his work in the schools and glows about one particular story. "I spoke to this one boy last November just before the school was closing for the summer holidays and he told me he was inspired by the way I was giving a speech.
"Field events are not that big in South Africa and he had never done sport before but he was inspired to see me do that event and come home with the medal.
Now the boy is doing long jump and he is now going to the South African Schools Championships."
For the future Mokoena, who uses his lap-top computer during lectures, plans to target more schools and cement his reputation as a motivational speaker.
"You always find kids who carry knifes and guns to school," he added. "That is why we need sporting heroes all around the world we need to pay attention and try to motivate them and try to make them aware."
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