Stephen Mokoka banks on new club to help with his Olympic preparations

 After almost a decade with the Boxer Running Club. In a recent interview with SABC Sport, Mokoka disclosed his financial struggles which significantly hampered his training efforts. 

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Witnessing the Hollywood Athletics Club supporting an injured Irvette Van Zyl for six months played a pivotal role in persuading him to make the move and commit to the new team.

''I have seen how they support their athletes - especially in terms of financial support. I've seen the story of  Irvette when she was injured and the kind of support she received - because, usually with certain clubs they will say after a few months if you're not active they will cut your salary,''

''Looking at the Comrades and Two Ocean Marathons we got to race with their athletes, and one could see the support they were getting, and that's what attracted me to join the club,'' said Mokoka.

Having overcome his previous financial challenges, Mokoka is now wholeheartedly on getting ready for his fourth Olympic participation.

He expressed discontent at being left out of the OPEX program, an initiative by the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) designed to assist athletes with the potential to qualify and secure medals at significant international events.

Fortunately, his new club has stepped in to cover the costs of his preparations. 

''It shows that in my next preparation I have to do things in a different way. Before I was preparing at certain places but now my coach has identified new spaces for me to prepare.  It has been a learning curve but I am definitely changing my approach as I prepare for the Olympics,'' added Mokoka. 

Securing funds for training camps proved to be a challenge for Mokoka, but his new club has addressed his concerns. As part of their agreement, the club is providing support for Mokoka to establish both international and local training camps, a crucial element of his preparations leading up to the Olympics in September.

''The agreement that we had is that they are going to come in - to expand with the other  plans I have. They will help, in terms of the physio and if I want certain nutrition they will come in to assist.''

''There are more opportunities and activities that are going to happen within the club like being out there to do motivational talks, this is why I say this is the place to be for me,'' he concluded.

Mokoka commenced his season on a high note, completing an impressive 2 hours, 12 minutes, and 58 seconds in a recent event held in Hong Kong, China, securing a commendable second place finish. This marathon served as a valuable benchmark for assessing his preparedness in the lead-up to the Olympic Games. 

At 39 years old, Mokoka is returning to fundamental training principles alongside his coach Michael Seme, at the University of Pretoria. Together, they are strategically preparing for several races leading up to the Games in the capital city of France.