You would expect Sello Maduma, South Africa’s fencing hope at the Olympics, to be at his happiest. But the 21-year-old athlete is a worried man.
He is already looking beyond the Olympics and what he sees is bleak. ”I’m worried about life after the Olympics,” he says.
Though it is his dream, as any other athlete’s, to go to the Olympics and win a medal, Maduma feels that he is not well enough prepared to compete against the world’s best.
The fencer from Mamelodi has missed several international events, which could have helped him to grow. He couldn’t raise enough money to go to international competitions such as the Grand Prix du Qatar in Qatar or the Coupe du Monde tournaments in Kuwait, Italy and Sweden.
He blames this on not having a sponsor to help buy the necessary kit and pay for his international trips.
The full equipment for the sport — which includes a jacket, plastron, breeches, gloves, mask, sword and shoes — can cost up to R8 000.
”A lot of doors have been shut. I think it’s because people don’t know what the sport is about. They would rather invest in football, cricket, rugby or any other well-known sport,” he says.
When the Mail & Guardian visited him at a training session at the University of Pretoria he looked a bit preoccupied as he slowly opened his big black bag, carrying his kit and two old swords, and prepared himself for that night’s session. His more privileged teammates carry six spare (new) swords while Maduma carries only one spare sword, which is old.
”I have mixed feelings about this whole thing. Things are tough, but what can I say? You must have an extra sword, but if a sword costs about R800 and you are not employed, chances of you quitting are very high. We carry extra swords because they break easily.”
But once in the ring, Maduma, training against teammate Steven Larsen — who also has national colours — shows why he deserves to be in the Olympic team.
He scores points, moves around quickly, has good technique and is always going forward, attacking his opponent.
”Fencing is my passion and it is sad that I might quit at this age. As an athlete you have to do things for yourself. If you are ranked within the top six in the country then you qualify to compete internationally, but you have to pay everything for yourself, from flight tickets to accommodation. I strongly believe I could have been a better athlete than I am now,” he says.
”If things don’t change for the better I will be left with no choice but to quit as my teammates did. My parents are battling to give me fares for domestic competitions, so when we talk about international ones it’s even worse,” he says.
When he turned professional this year he thought greater things were coming his way. Things ran smoothly when he was still an amateur because he received funding from the South African Amateur Fencing Association.
”I am now a developed player and will no longer get anything from the association, which frustrates me the most,” he says.
Maduma first encountered fencing in 2000 when some of his friends took him to the local hall where they trained. When their coach, Ephraim Mabhena, put together a demonstration for schools in the area, he became intrigued.
As with many township boys, Maduma played football, though he admits he was not any good at it.
”I was not a good football player. Mabhena invited me to join his club, the Mamelodi Fencing Club. But I wasn’t interested. I just wanted to watch and not take part,” says Maduma.
He watched his friends train every day, until one day when there was a tournament in Johannesburg. Ten fencers were needed, but there were only nine available.
”Even though I had never played with a sword before I was chosen just to fill the numbers because I had watched my friends train. Then it didn’t matter at all. I did it for fun,” says Maduma.
Things changed in 2003 when he won his first medal at the Gauteng regional tournament. He started taking the sport seriously after realising he had talent.
Last year he was selected to represent the country at the Junior World Championships in Turkey.
”I didn’t do well at all because of stage fright. It was my first major competition,” says Maduma. He hopes that this time around he will get to go to training camps abroad before the Olympics to prepare him for the games.
The Olympics are Maduma’s biggest international event. He was shortlisted for the All Africa Games last year but didn’t make the team.
As the coming trip to Beijing proves, that didn’t dampen his spirits. He fought for his place in the Olympic team.
”Credit should go to Mabhena. But it is sad because the club exists now only in name. It collapsed because people couldn’t carry on supporting it. I will not forget where I came from. This is where I was made,” says Maduma.
”If things change for the better I will revive the club and give back to the children of Mamelodi. For now I can just pray to God and hope for a miracle to happen.”