'My goal every year is to have five to six athletes represent SA' - Sponge Group December Training camp is underway

As we enjoy the last days of the year, many of us will use the quiet time to reflect on the successes and challenges of 2024, while planning for the year ahead. For one of South Africa's most successful running coaches, his New Year's Resolution has been the same for nearly four decades. All Michael Seme aims to do each year is to produce a handful of athletes that will be good enough to wear the green and gold.

"My goal every year is to have five to six athletes chosen from the Sponge Group to represent South Africa at international level. The first one was Lunga Zungu who travelled with an SA Schools Athletics team in 1989. That has been my wish every year since I started coaching and now I have produced almost 400 athletes for various SA teams. That's what makes me happy," explained the man who started as a social runner competing at the Comrades Marathon before founding the Puna Athletic Club in his native Soweto during the 1970's.

Bra Sponge taking charge of a hill session in Soweto during the annual December training camp. Photo Credit: Tumelo Mabua.

The club produced such top names as Joshua Peterson, Poppy Mlambo and many more, with Bra Sponge as Seme is affectionately known, going on to guide even more international athletes after the Soweto-based club closed down. Olympic gold medalist Caster Semenya, World Championships top five marathoner Stephen Mokoka, former SA Champion Gladwin Mzazi and countless others have benefitted from Seme's experience, skill and dedication.

Sharing the secrets to his success with #TheTopRunner, Seme says one of the pillars of his coaching programme is an annual December training camp assembling athletes of various abilities and different events to lay a solid foundation for the season ahead. "800m and 1500m start early two hours before the distance runners arrive. We also have 100m and 200m sprinters. In the morning we are all together and the afternoon sessions go according to what events the athletes do."

This year The Sponge Group December Training Camp takes place in Soweto with track sessions held at the University of Johannesburg Soweto Campus, hill sessions in Pimville and long runs on the gently undulating gravel roads just outside the South Western Township. The likes of 2024 SPAR Grand Prix top ten finisher Cacisile Sosibo, Lesotho 10km national record holder Namakoe Nkhasi, 800m specialist Jabolane Ncamane as well as some serious social runners have been attendance since the camp started in the first week of December. Seme says it would not be possible without the outpouring of support they have received from members of the local running community.

"We received support from a few donors which helped us cover some of our food costs, as well as iKhayaLethu Athletic Club who have been with us for some time now. I must also thank Mr. Nkonki who helps us with transport for our long runs. So we didn't struggle because two years ago we almost had to stop the camp early due to a lack of funds."