Intensive athletics holiday programme takes to Dainfern College

A four-week athletics holiday programme at Dainfern College kept school and university athletes busy on the tracks, jumps and hurdles almost every day.

Coach Mpho Moloto oversaw the programme for Moot Athletics Academy and ensured that each week the athletes focused on something different to build their all-round skill.

All this in preparation for the first school and university athletics meetings coming up later in January.

High-intensity training was up first, which included fun in the school’s pool after the long and tiring days to help the athletes unwind.

“We pair athletes up in their training with other athletes who they get along with,” Moloto said, explaining that the athletes encourage each other to do better.

The second week looked at speed endurance, which saw long-jumpers, high-jumpers and hurdlers join the runners to build their speed endurance with short but numerous sprints on the athletics track. This was probably the hardest week during the programme, as it tested the mind as well as the body.

“There are fewer rests here. It trains the body to not have breaks. It builds muscles and pushes the body over the limit.”

The third week was all about distance endurance, and so Moloto had athletes run far each day.

The final week rounded off the programme with a focus on technique in each discipline and speed on the track.

Moloto was named Central Gauteng Athletics’ development coach of the year last year. He has trained the likes of national athletes Thando Roto and Ranti Dikgale and sent Liam Duvenage, Rowan van Loenen and Lethabo Zitha to the National Athletics Championships last year.

Details: Mpho Moloto 078 940 1397.

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