Many people wouldn’t think to get involved in sport at an older age, but that is definitely not the case with gogo Catherine Motloung.
The 71-year-old is involved in various sporting codes to keep herself physically fit and lives a healthy lifestyle. She ran the Comrades Marathon last year, does aerobics and plays soccer for the Ivory Park Gogos Football Club.
She wakes up every day and runs to stay fit. Motloung started getting involved in sport, particularly running, in 2010.
The Soweto Marathon runner said, “I got into sports after I lost my husband. I was lonely.
“Sports keep me busy and fit. For people of my age, we need to be fit because of arthritis and other diseases of old age [which] you can beat. I cannot be affected by diseases like arthritis.”
Photo: Supplied
Motloung has called on other grannies who are not actively involved in sport to join her and live a healthy lifestyle.
“My message to other grannies is ‘please let’s get involved in sports’. You can start by walking and you will see how your body carries you. When you are fit, you do not have stress. You feel free every time.”
Due to her fitness, Motloung was invited by other grannies to join the Ivory Park Gogos.
“The idea of playing football was not my thing. The other gogos saw that I’m fit so they kept on challenging me to join them.
“They kept on asking me, so last year late I joined them.”
She added that she did so to encourage other grannies to be involved in sport.
Motloung said sport had become part of her life and she did not see herself giving up running. Since she started running, Motloung has won 65 medals and is looking to earn more before she retires from the sport.
Apart from participating in various sports, Motloung teaches children crafts, including how to make handbags from used plastic. She teaches them about the importance of keeping communities clean by reusing recyclable products.
“At Mayibuye Primary School, we pray and after praying, we do exercises. After that we do handwork.”
She concluded, “Some of them are struggling a bit but most of them are enjoying it.”
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