Local Athletics Coach Scoops ASA Coach of the Year Award

Michael Mbambani, a name which is well respected in athletic circles worldwide, received well deserved recognition this weekend when he won the ASA Coach of the Year Award at the annual ASA Awards event. EPA also scooped the ASA Best organised Championships for their annual EPA ASA Senior Half Marathon Championship event which this year will be held at Pollock Beach, Summerstrand, on Saturday, 1 June.

“This was a surprise award, I only heard about it on Friday afternoon,” said a delighted Mbambani. “I am really humbled and honoured. “I would like to thank Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and EP Athletics for providing the platform for us to plan and rise. “I dedicate this award to my Ikhamva camp athletes and sponsors,” added Mike.

A committed family man, Mike has dedicated the last 12 years to developing athletes. His phenomenal success with his talented athletes underscores his efforts.

In 2022 Melikhaya Frans competed in the NMB Half Marathon, finished in second position, and smashed his lifetime best by over a minute as he set a new Eastern Province Athletics record and won his first national title in 1:01:03, and last year Thabang Mosiako won the half marathon and set a personal best of 1:00:29.

Mike’s coaching style extends far beyond performance training and management as he nurtures his athletes holistically, from nutrition, clothing to transport and emotional support.

He started his own club, Ikhamva Athletic club, which was registered with Eastern Province Athletics in 2010.

He is constantly sourcing sponsorships to support the needs of his athletes to ensure that they can take advantage of as many opportunities as possible to facilitate their world class training programmes.

Mike was the key player in the launch of the Legacy Project, a successful partnership between Eastern Province Athletics and the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.

In 2011 the Municipality started the Partnership with Ikhamva Athletic Club through the Freedom Run in Motherwell and then in 2015 Eastern Province Athletics Committee motivated their vision to partner with the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Sports Recreation, Arts & Culture, to establish the Legacy Project.

The Legacy Project hosts 7 events annually reaching a number of areas in the metropole, and taking the sport of athletics to the people, namely, Motherwell, Gelvandale, Colchester, Uitenhage/Despatch and Summerstrand. From 2021 the Track & Field Series and Cross Country Series was incorporated in the Legacy Project to reach an even broader audience of athletes from across the metro. Track & Field together with Cross Country is the base for any successful road runner and the source of many young talented athletes in our region.

Mike’s vision and the aim of the Legacy developmental project is to uplift our city’s sport administrators, clubs and athletes from previously disadvantaged areas, as well as empower and motivate teachers to encourage youth to participate in the sport of athletics, particularly as the requirements of this sport are minimal.

In January 2016 Mike started the developmental arm of Ikhamva athletics club by recruiting athletes like Melikhaya Frans, Sinawo Poti and Luyanda Tshangana and their training programme is still going very strong.

He started his training camp from a farm in Greenbushes during Covid at the end of 2020. In 2021 he added more athletes to his elite team at the Farm.

Initially Mike sponsored this dedicated training programme himself via his sports company with Alan Taylor, called Sport Impact Events, but was soon able to attract more sponsors to assist with his vision of uplifting talented athletes, namely, CHC-SA Concrete Flooring, Nike, 32Gi, and Red Bull. Nelson Mandela Bay is fortunate to have a coach of his calibre in our region and with his drive and passion for athletics there will certainly be exciting developments expected ahead.