MOKOKA Stephen

31 Jan 1985
36
Male
MAFIKENG
 
South Africa
PRETORIA
 
South Africa

Events and Medals

Discipline Event Rank Medal
ATH Athletics Men's Marathon DNF

Schedule

Change
Start Time Location Event Status
Sapporo Odori Park
Finished

Biographical Information

Highlights

:
Olympic Games
YearLocation10,000mMarathon
2016Rio de Janeiro, BRA18th (27:54.57)-
2012London, GBR-49th (2:19:52)

World Athletics Championships
YearLocation10,000mMarathon
2019Doha, QAT-5th (2:11:09)
2017London, GBR20th (28:14.67)-
2015Beijing, CHN20th (28:47.40)-
2013Moscow, RUS20th (28:11.61)-
2011Daegu, KOR13th (28:51.97)-

World Half Marathon Championships
RankEventYearLocationResult
5Half Marathon Team2020Gdynia, POL3:00.51
6Half Marathon Team2018Valencia, ESP3:07:16
7Half Marathon2020Gdynia, POL59:36
16Half Marathon2018Valencia, ESP1:01:26

Gold Label Road Races
RankEventYearLocationResult
1Marathon2018Cape Town, RSA2:08:31
1Marathon2017Shanghai, CHN2:08:35
1Marathon2016Shanghai, CHN2:10:18
2Marathon2020Otsu, JPN2:08:05
3Marathon2019Otsu, JPN2:07:58


Legend
SF - Semifinal, QF - Quarterfinal, 1R - 1st Round, Qual. - Qualification, QR - Qualification Round, DNF - Did Not Finish, DNS - Did Not Start, DQ - Disqualified, NM - No Mark, [Relay athlete without time] - Did not run in final
:
Athlete
:
Sports Management - Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa
:
Wife Zintle, one son
:
English
:
Athletics Gauteng North [RSA]] / Boxer Athletics Club [RSA]
:
Michael Seme [personal], RSA
:
His late father-in-law is Zithulele Sinqe, a former South African marathon record holder. (iol.co.za, 25 Sep 2018)
:
He was a keen footballer until he was encouraged to take up cross-country running at school. (businesslive.co.za, 26 Sep 2018)
:
To win a medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. (fisu.net 27 Aug 2019)
:
South African distance runners Hendrick Ramaala and Josiah Thugwane. (fisu.net 27 Aug 2019; iol.co.za, 29 Sep 2019)

General Interest

General
ALL ROUND DISTANCE RUNNER
He has competed internationally in cross-country, on the track and on the road, ranging from the 3000m event to full marathons. "The event I love the most is the 10,000m." (fisu.net 27 Aug 2019)

FINANCIAL GAIN HURTING TALENT
In 2018 and 2019 he claimed that personal motivation for financial gain was affecting the progress of South African distance runners, and appealed for more opportunities to work together in training camps. "We should spend [a] lot of time training, but we are doing the opposite. Most [South African] distance runners are doing more road running events because of money and neglect cross-country and track events. There's [a] lack of money and races in track and field. That worries me a lot. Athletes are busy running after money and don't want to stay on the track. That makes it hard for anyone to graduate and be seen as a hopeful in the 10,000m. [South African] runners spend lots of their time chasing after small money [and] the long-term results of over-racing kills one's career. Personally, I would like to go on a training camp with the [other South African marathon] guys to prepare for the Olympics. If [we] can train together, we can make progress. But in this country, it's every man for himself and that is disrupting our progress." (dailysun.co.za, 17 Nov 2019; dailysun.co.za, 29 Apr 2018)

SUB TWO HOUR MARATHON
He said that the unofficial sub-two-hour marathon time set by Eliud Kipchoge in 2019 shows the importance of teamwork in the event. He was one of the pacemakers during Kipchoge's earlier attempt to run below the two-hour mark. "The lesson we can take from Kipchoge is that teamwork won the day. He had all the support to do it and it showed that he was psychologically ready to break the barrier. He is a humble person, but he is different in a race due to his dedication. If a sub-two-hour marathon was to happen in an official race in future, it would take all the contenders to be in the same shape as Kipchoge to do it." (city-press.news24.com, 13 Oct 2019)

Legend
:
Gold Medal Event
:
Silver Medal Event
:
Bronze Medal Event
DNF:
Did not finish
Timing and scoring provided by OMEGA. Results powered by Atos