Tolbadi aims for Paris Olympics

Diamond Athletics Club (DAC) is polishing one of its rough diamonds to shine at the 2024 Olympics Games as Sanele Tolbadi readies himself for competition.

Sanele is one of the youngest and gifted long jump athletes from Diamond Athletics Club.

He completed his matric in 2020 and he has been training with coach John Diamond from DAC since 2017 during a school competition where he competed against one of the club athletes.

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“Without any formal training, Sanele finished second in the long jump with a distance of 6.26m,” said Diamond.

“He joined the Diamond camp and was at the top at the Gauteng School Championships in 2019 /20 with a jump of 7.31m. He never wants to skip training or league meetings despite challenges with taxi fare to attend camps.

“Sanele is disciplined and dedicated, focuses on his athletic abilities and has a desire to improve and win.

“He receives pre-season training to introduce double periodisation training programmes and he trains on grass and in the gym, sometimes morning and evening.”

Diamond said it takes a concerted effort to prepare for Olympics.

“That is why we have a four to eight-year cycle for each athlete in our camp. Cheswill Johnson and his brother Elviano Johnson, who made the Olympic squad in 2020, started with us in 2016.”

The upcoming athlete has been described as one of the rising stars for the Paris Olympics.

Sanele excelled and dominated at the ISASA Schools competitions, PUMA School of Speed, Club Leagues and ASA Championships in sprints and long jump.

He is looking to compete in several competitions as his journey to the Olympics continues to unfold.

“I will be competing in all track and field league meetings aiming to run and jump ASA qualifying standards to be next in line after Cheswill,” said Sanele.

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