Long-distance star Tebello Ramakongoana capped a remarkable run at the recent Sydney Marathon with a third-place finish — but it was his coach James McKirdy’s glowing words afterwards that captured just how far the Olympian has come.
McKirdy could barely contain his pride when reflecting on the performance, calling it “astounding” and praising not just the result, but the character behind it.
“Tebello’s placement was astounding! He’s developed so well to run such a fast time considering the challenging course,” McKirdy said.
“This was one of the deepest fields in the world this year and to finish 3rd is a testament to his growth.”
Ramakongoana clocked 2:04:57 to secure a World Major medal, facing one of the toughest fields of his career on Sydney’s notoriously punishing, unaided course. He arrived with a personal best of 2:04:18 set in Boston, but for McKirdy, the Sydney run tells a bigger story.
“2:04:18 in Boston is a national best time but 2:04:57 in Sydney, to me, is the more impressive mark,” he said.
The coaching team built Ramakongoana’s preparation specifically around the demands of the course.
“Sydney’s course can make a 2:03-2:04 marathoner run 2:07-2:09. We see it every year. So we focused on the ability to handle speed over the hills,” McKirdy explained.
The plan was never simply to make up the numbers. Ramakongoana went to Sydney intent on contending for a podium finish against the best in the world, including defending world champion Alphonce Simbu , and McKirdy pinpointed the moment his athlete believed he belonged among them.
“I think at the 30km mark was his moment to say, ‘I am here today… I can do this,'” he said.
What makes the achievement even more remarkable, McKirdy revealed, is that Ramakongoana fell ill just a day before the race.
“He got pretty sick the day before with a strong fever… but it faded as quickly as it came. I think it faded fully during the race to be honest,” he said.
That resilience, McKirdy says, is a hallmark of who Ramakongoana is, on top of eleven weeks of uninterrupted, high-quality training in the build-up.
“I could not be more proud. Tebello consistently shows up for himself. He shows no fear and places no internal pressure that’s unwarranted. He continues to grow emotionally as well as physically.”
Looking ahead, McKirdy sees Sydney as another step on the road to an even bigger prize.
“This was a step forward towards crossing the finish line in first. But any time you earn a world major medal is truly a special moment in an athlete’s career. We won’t take that for granted.”
Focus will now shift to recovery, with another marathon on the horizon once Ramakongoana has fully rested. McKirdy’s parting words carried a message that went beyond the track.
“Not just in him, but in yourselves that you can rise up and accomplish greatness for yourselves. Take ownership of your life and work hard,” he said.
Summary
- Long-distance star Tebello Ramakongoana capped a remarkable run at the recent Sydney Marathon with a third-place finish — but it was his coach James McKirdy’s glowing words afterwards that captured just how far the Olympian has come.
- “This was one of the deepest fields in the world this year and to finish 3rd is a testament to his growth.
- Ramakongoana went to Sydney intent on contending for a podium finish against the best in the world, including defending world champion Alphonce Simbu , and McKirdy pinpointed the moment his athlete believed he belonged among them.
Seabata Mahao is a general news reporter with special focus on Business and Sports. Started working at Newsday in 2021. Working in a team with a shared goal is what I enjoy most and that gives me the motivation to work under any environment leading to growth.
