Precious Mashele eyes his second Olympic Games appearance

Mashele, who debuted at the Tokyo 2020 Games in the 5000m event, hailing from Limpopo, clinched his qualification on the last day of eligibility.

To secure his spot in the upcoming Paris Olympics, Mashele aims to clock a time of 13:05:00.

With eager anticipation, he looks forward to the upcoming Athletics South Africa (ASA) Senior Track and Field Championships set to take place in Pietermaritzburg from 18-21 April.

READ: Thabang Mosiako out to defend his national half-marathon title

Guided by Hendrick Ramaala at Zoo Lake training group, the 33-year-old, a former South African half-marathon champion, is gearing up to defend his national 10 000m title while striving to meet the Olympic Games qualifying standard.

“I’ve got a clear strategy mapped out for my upcoming 10 000m event; aiming for a swift time to secure an early qualification. Should I fall short, I’ll pivot to the Miller's coastal races for another shot. This time, I’m determined not to procrastinate until the eleventh hour to lock in my Olympic qualification. Reflecting on my debut Olympic experience in Japan, I learned valuable lessons amidst nerves and uncertainty. Mashele, armed with insights from that journey, I’m keen to embark on another Olympic quest,” Mashele shared with SABC Sport and expressed confidence in anticipating what lies ahead in Paris.  

Two weeks ago, in Gqeberha, Mashele clinched third place in the Absa Run Your City event, content with his performance.

“The wind was quite strong for me in Gqeberha, yet I found satisfaction in my performance and securing third place. Preparations for the national championships are progressing smoothly, and now it’s simply a matter of awaiting the race,” added Mashele.