OK FOODS DIRECTOR TARGETS SUB-3 RACE TIME

MBABANE – OK Foods Director Lincoln Motsa showcased determination, completing a South African race in a time of 03:47:00.

He competed in the age 55-59 group of the recent Virgin Active 94.7 Joburg ride, a prestigious cycling event in South Africa (SA), two days ago. Motsa is not one to shy away from the challenge presented by the course’s demanding terrain. He has participated in the race for five consecutive years. Starting at FNB Stadium, the iconic route took cyclists along 98km of thrilling Joburg as the city is a popularly known terrain that cyclists are set to own for a day. They cycled past Joburg’s legendary landmarks, through streets usually bustling with traffic

Journey

In an interview with this publication yesterday, the MTN Khemani Cycling club cyclist reflected on his journey. The club was represented by 10 riders including Motsa. Team Principal Dr. Futhie Dlamini, Sihlangu Nhlabatsi, MTN Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Wandile Mtshali, Muzi Dlamini, Club Secretary General (SG) Nomfundo Jiyane and Lebo Hlahla also participated among others.

“I have become accustomed to its challenging nature, particularly the final 50 kilometres which are quite tricky and difficult due to continuous climbing,” he stated. His eyes are firmly set on improving his performance in the next edition, as he aims to join the ranks of elite cyclists who conquer the Sub 3 milestone.  This means finishing the race in less than three hours.
“In 2025, I plan to compete again. It’s a dream for many cyclists to partake in such a prestigious event. I aim to improve my time with each participation; continually advancing towards a Sub 3 finish,” Motsa added.

The 94.7km race attracted thousands of participants, including reigning Elite Men 4EVA Cycling 2Fast 2Furious title winner Muzi ‘Madida’ Shabangu. He made history as the first liSwati to finish the race, clocking in an impressive time of 02:19:00. Shabangu expressed satisfaction with his performance.  “I am just happy with my time; it’s a good race to prepare for faster ones,” he said. Meanwhile, National Road Championships reigning title holder Kwanele Jele, representing the 4Eva Cycling Club, secured 48th place in the Elite Men category, improving his previous year’s time by a significant margin. “It was a good race but a fast one and challenging towards the end,” Jele commented, after finishing in 02:38:00, an improvement from last year’s 02:50:00.

For Motsa, the experience of racing alongside over 10 000 cyclists is invaluable. “Participating in international races like this provides local cyclists with crucial learning experiences. It teaches us about peloton dynamics, the importance of maintaining our line, and, most importantly, prioritising safety amid the crowd,” he explained. In addition, reigning National Road Championship female category title winner Nontsikelelo Mdlovu finished this race and clocked a time of 3:26 hours.

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