27 Sep 2023

Over the weekend, a team of five mountain bike (MTB) riders embarked on a life changing experience by partaking in the Munga Grit MTB challenge in South Africa.

One of the most enduring mentally cycling races under the sun, the Munga Grit provides riders with two options of riding 400km or 250km over a 24-hour duration.

First timers on the challenge, Kagiso Potongwane, Tshepiso Mmokele, Tito Sebonego, Kago Monamodi and Victor Mlalazi bravely took on the 250km route, and courageously rode in the scorching sun, wind and dust and overnight in the North West province in South Africa.

However, Mlalazi could not see the challenge through to the end due to health complications.

Whilst the trio of Potongwane, Mmokele and Monamodi were able to complete the race just seven minutes to the cut off time, Sebonego amazingly did well as he finished in position 14 out of the 24 riders.

“The race went well as we were able to make the 12 noon cut off time in our 24-hour route race.

And one of our riders, Sebonego, completed earlier in a good time at 9.52am,” said Potongwane in an interview. Potongwane explained that Mlalazi had to go out of the race at 39km due to health reasons.

He said 17 riders in the 24-hour route course could not finish the race due to various reasons. “But for us who finished, it is commendable as we started at 12 noon in the scorching heat and the heat took a toll on most of us,” he said.  However, Potongwane said their completion was as a result of their proper training plan.

“Training and nutrition really made a huge difference,” he added.

He said they endured a tough challenging course elevation totalling 2,500m.

“We endured hill after hill and it was very challenging.

In Botswana, we do not have many hills so it is hard to get even 1 000m of elevation gain during training,” he said adding that their strength throughout the race was team work.

A take away from The Munga Grit for Potongwane, who is Botswana Cycling Association president, is the well-organised race despite its difficulties and challenging route course.

He said locally, they had the capacity to put together a similar event.

“We just need people and sponsors to put together such a similar event and such events are also a good opportunity for sports tourism,” he said.

The four local riders earned themselves Lance Corporal Badges as first time riders of The Munga Grit. “Our names are now in The Munga Grit walls, the most difficult MTB race I have ever done,” Potongwane said. Ends.