SOUTH African athletics queen Mapaseka Makhanya is heartsick after her tog bag was stolen at an athletics meeting in Stellenbosch on Tuesday night.
The Soweto-based runner had to withdraw from the Yellow Pages Series event after the bag disappeared while she was still warming up for the 800m.
"I was devastated, I could not believe that something like that could happen to me," said a tearful Makhanya, who is hoping to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics. "I was warming up on the track ahead of the race. It was only when I went to change that I discovered that my tog bag was nowhere to be found.
"At first I thought it was some kind of joke. I asked all the people who were around, they all said they saw absolutely nothing.
"I had my spikes inside the bag. There were other items like my cellular phone, identity document and wallet. It is the first time something like this has happened despite the place having security.
"I approached Athletics South Africa. I was told there is nothing they could do, leaving me with no choice but to withdraw from the race. On my return to Johannesburg, I went to the police station for an affidavit," said Makhanya, who had to buy new spikes for tomorrow's Potchefstroom leg of the series.
"I just hope security will be improved at all athletics events because we are told there is no insurance taken for lost items," she said.
Makhanya is expected to come up against 2011 world championships 800m silver medallist Caster Semenya, who won her first race of the season two weeks ago.
"I have heard that Caster is coming, which will make our event more exciting. For me it's not all about Caster, I just want to run a good time and qualify for the Olympics."
Other top athletes who will be in action tomorrow include Stephen Mokoka, Sibabalwe Mzazi, Tshamano Setone, and the twins Lebo and Lebohang Phalula.
Neither ASA president James Evans nor CEO Frik Vermaak could be reached for comment.
Bag theft blow for Makhanya
SOUTH African athletics queen Mapaseka Makhanya is heartsick after her tog bag was stolen at an athletics meeting in Stellenbosch on Tuesday night.
The Soweto-based runner had to withdraw from the Yellow Pages Series event after the bag disappeared while she was still warming up for the 800m.
"I was devastated, I could not believe that something like that could happen to me," said a tearful Makhanya, who is hoping to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics. "I was warming up on the track ahead of the race. It was only when I went to change that I discovered that my tog bag was nowhere to be found.
"At first I thought it was some kind of joke. I asked all the people who were around, they all said they saw absolutely nothing.
"I had my spikes inside the bag. There were other items like my cellular phone, identity document and wallet. It is the first time something like this has happened despite the place having security.
"I approached Athletics South Africa. I was told there is nothing they could do, leaving me with no choice but to withdraw from the race. On my return to Johannesburg, I went to the police station for an affidavit," said Makhanya, who had to buy new spikes for tomorrow's Potchefstroom leg of the series.
"I just hope security will be improved at all athletics events because we are told there is no insurance taken for lost items," she said.
Makhanya is expected to come up against 2011 world championships 800m silver medallist Caster Semenya, who won her first race of the season two weeks ago.
"I have heard that Caster is coming, which will make our event more exciting. For me it's not all about Caster, I just want to run a good time and qualify for the Olympics."
Other top athletes who will be in action tomorrow include Stephen Mokoka, Sibabalwe Mzazi, Tshamano Setone, and the twins Lebo and Lebohang Phalula.
Neither ASA president James Evans nor CEO Frik Vermaak could be reached for comment.
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