By Manyehlisa Lehohla
South African lengthy bounce legend Khotso Mokoena says the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Video games on the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic was an indication that it was time to hold up his spikes.
In the course of the heady days of his profession, Mokoena gained a silver medal on the 2008 Beijing Video games.
The following yr, he gained the identical color medal on the IAAF World Championships in Berlin.
Alongside a adorned athletics profession spanning nearly 20 years, the 39-year-old Mokoena dabbled in entrepreneurship early in his profession.
Earlier than delving into what retains him occupied, Mokoena, the chairperson of the South African Sports activities Confederation and Olympic Committee’s (Sascoc) Athletes Fee and World Anti-Doping Company (Wada) ambassador, mirrored on his journey of fusing his profitable profession along with his enterprise acumen.
Throughout his profession, Mokoena requested himself: What subsequent?“
“It was robust as a result of after I was an athlete, I used to be at all times interested in what to do subsequent … As I grew in my profession, I knew I needed to be a business-minded sportsman, so, I ran my athletics profession as a enterprise,” he stated.
He had no mentors to seek the advice of and, subsequently,his solely possibility was to hunt various sources of information.
“I come from a small township … I didn’t have mentors to advise me on finance or enterprise. I needed to be taught alone, so I learn quite a lot of books and consulted on-line programmes to know the world of entrepreneurship and the way that world works … so I may match it in with my ardour for sport,” stated Mokoena.
A part of Mokoena’s studying was investing in himself as an athlete and surrounding himself with individuals who contributed to his success in athletics.
“I at all times used my cash to be higher in athletics … by ensuring I’ve a great physio and good trainers. I even did karate to assist me with a few of my actions in lengthy bounce,” stated Mokoena.
“Financing that facet of my profession ready me for any enterprise I needed to arrange. The opposite lesson was studying how one can work with folks and implementing plans that I had drawn up.”
Mokoena remembers his first foray into enterprise, which noticed him lose cash. Somewhat than surrender, he noticed it as an necessary lesson.
“After the Beijing Video games, I took the cash I made and invested in one thing exterior of sport. One was for the upskilling of younger folks. It failed, but it surely was my first time making an attempt and with out steerage from anybody.
“However being an athlete, you be taught to be resilient and be taught with repetition. Plenty of information got here from that and it received me enthusiastic about making an attempt different ventures.”
Since his retirement in 2020, Mokoena has continued on the enterprise route. Whereas it was exhausting to simply accept that he’d reached the top of the street, he gained an appreciation for every thing he had achieved.
“It was a tough resolution to make. I deliberate to retire after the 2016 Olympic Video games, however my physique felt good. So, I instructed myself: ‘I can go for an additional 4 years’, however when 2020 got here, I felt I had finished what I may as an lively athlete, It was time. I had achieved a lot. I gained an Olympic medal and a World Championship medal. I competed and gained different worldwide competitions.
“I reached a degree the place I appreciated that I had finished effectively in my profession. It was time to do one thing that might advance upcoming athletes. When the Tokyo Video games received postponed, I knew then it was time. It was time.”
Aside from his Sascoc and Wada commitments, Mokoena began the Youth, Athletes and Abilities Growth Institute.
“What we do there may be assist younger folks achieve entrepreneurship expertise and be employable. We even have character-building programmes in place, so, once they depart highschool, they’re prepared for the true world.
“It’s a platform for athletes doing effectively at a younger age. Once they grow to be profitable, they grow to be uncovered to issues like cash, so they should put together themselves to take care of the strain of managing that.
“A programme like it will give tips on how one can handle cash and assist them perceive what is occurring round them.”
He additionally continues to be a voice for athletes on the Sascoc entrance workplace.
“I take care of the athletes and ensure their wants are met and that we’re the voice of the athletes … To assist them enhance their performances. We’re additionally planning an athletes indaba to get suggestions from the athletes concerning the Olympics and Paralympics,” stated Mokoena.
“The athlete’s indaba was not accessible throughout my time. It’s one thing I got here up with along with the athlete’s fee. It’s a legacy we now have to depart as a fee – a platform the place athletes collect to talk and act on turning into higher.
“It opens a pathway for federations to listen to the athletes and what they’ve been by means of …They’ll have an enhanced plan based on what the athletes have stated.”
Mokoena has an ideal legacy behind him. He’s additionally a high-quality instance to younger athletes who wish to capitalise on their success throughout their careers.
Manyehlisa Lehohla is the founder and curator of The Large Tip Off. (https://thebigtipoff.co.za).
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