Hanging out with Ryan Mphahlele

Long-distance athlete Ryan Mphahlele (25) from Tembisa aims for gold at the Paris Olympics. 

When I got the call

These are my first Olympics and I might be downplaying it, but I don’t feel as though it is anything special. Which is weird. As an athlete, when you get to the stage of competing at such a high level you aren’t resting on your laurels — there is constantly a bigger challenge. There is always something else you’re gunning for.

The people’s runner

At the Olympics, there’s a first round, semi-finals, and finals. When I get to the finals, I’ll be able to say with conviction that I’m going for gold. It’s a one-time opportunity that comes every four years, so I will be cheating my true self if I am in the finals and say I’m not going for gold. I believe in auctioning the gold medal, though, and donating [the proceeds] to people in need, especially youth. I think that’s more useful and valuable than just keeping the gold medal, which ends up collecting dust anyway.

Preparing for the Olympics

My focus is running the race I have to run right now. We are currently competing in the Diamond League and travelling across Europe. When I get back, I will start training again, but it won’t be specifically for the Olympics. It will be to keep healthy — physically, mentally, and spiritually. The Olympics are just another competition — afterwards I will be competing again. It’s about staying ready so you don’t have to get ready. I work very hard in the off-season so I can afford to relax in season.

Lessons learnt

I look at every win or loss as a lesson. I have also learnt that it isn’t necessarily about how fast you run but about beating the other guys.

I’m learning the importance of being competitive, which is hard because it requires me to step out of myself. I have also learnt the importance of staying true to yourself and your beliefs.I am still a student at the University of Johannesburg; I hang out with my old friends who have different lifestyles to mine and it doesn’t faze me. It is about not allowing what is happening around you to be part of you.

Ching-ching money tree

As an adult, I want to make money, nothing more. If I could find something else from which to make money, like becoming an accountant, I would do that. (laughs) Running is a career like any other. I wouldn’t mind retiring tomorrow if I had enough in the bank and I am honest about that.

Dreams come true

I remember pointing at the TV as a kid, thinking to myself that I should be there one day, and now I am competing alongside some of those people. I’ve realised that everybody is just a normal human being. No one is the superhero they think they are, they are human like you.

A lot goes into understanding how different people live around the world. You're out of your comfort zone and there is a barrier and you need to learn how to communicate with different people through it. There is also a level of being submissive, even though you’re this big athlete, because you are not at home.

Challenges athletes face

Being underprivileged is the biggest struggle many athletes face. When you are still grinding and trying to get to the world stage you only have a few helping hands, and when you start doing better those helping hands start to increase.

It is funny because when you begin doing better, like I am right now, you actually don’t need that many helping hands in comparison to other kids who are still at the bottom. I find that a lot of talent is being wasted because not a lot of people help them in the beginning with even the basics such as training shoes, food, or a better living environment. I’m not the exception — a lot of athletes from different sports have done it and have probably been in worse situations, but it’s an unnecessary challenge.

Overcoming adversity

I have always believed I would go far but, when I look back, I am shocked to realise that what I envisioned for myself is happening. My parents were very strict, they never condoned drinking, smoking or any of the things a lot of my friends did, and it paid off.