Munyai to participate in Commonwealth Games

South Africa is pinning part of its medal hopes on the 20-year-old Vhavenda sprinter, Clarence Munyai, during the 2018 Commonwealth Games. The event takes place in Australia from 8-15 April.

“I look forward to making myself, my family and my country proud on the Gold Coast 2018,” he said this week. “We are busy preparing for the games. It feels heart-warming and we are faring quite well.”

The preparations are running smoothly, more specifically because Clarence has just set a new South African 200m record at the ASA Senior and Combined Events Track and Field Championships that were held at the Tuks Athletics Stadium in Pretoria on 17 March.

“What propels me to my winning point is hunger and the desire to win,” he said. “I love winning all the time. The feeling that you get upon winning, you just can't explain, and I don't think there's a person who can take that feeling away from you.”

He had previously competed in the men’s 200 metres at the 2016 Summer Olympics and finished third in his heat but did not qualify for the semifinals. The race on 17 March was his breakthrough and this victory placed him in the South African athletics history books.

A resident of Hatfield in Pretoria, he was originally born in Johannesburg and attended Krugersdorp Town Primary School from Grades 1-7. From Grades 8-9 he went to Heronbridge College. He then matriculated at Tuksport High School last year.

“I am currently on a gap year and plan on furthering my studies next year,” he said. “I was lucky enough to get a coach, Hennie Kriel, who noticed my talent. I was involved in rugby and he noticed my sprint and suggested I consider giving running a try. And here, today, it has worked out very well,” he said.

He speaks fondly of rural Venda and how he loves the people. “People must never give up and they will make it in life. I love you all at home – ndi ni funa nothe,” he said.

Date:02 April 2018

By: Tshifhiwa Mukwevho

Tshifhiwa Given Mukwevho was born in 1984 in Madombidzha village, not far from Louis Trichardt in the Limpopo Province. After submitting articles for roughly a year for Limpopo Mirror's youth supplement, Makoya, he started writing for the main newspaper. He is a prolific writer who published his first book, titled A Traumatic Revenge in 2011. It focusses on life on the street and how to survive amidst poverty. His second book titled The Violent Gestures of Life was published in 2014.

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