Feature: Mokoena looks to fire in Oslo

This year the 30-year-old is back and eager to repeat those successes.

“So far for me the season has been going as planned,” he smiles. “I’m not yet at top shape. I only came out of hard training in April and building the base. We decided to build our campaign in Shanghai and take it from there, but so far I’m happy, jumping 8.10m consistently. By the time July and August comes I’ll be ready.”

The 2008 Olympic silver medalist knows the value of being patient in his approach and is confident that he can take a second successive Diamond Trophy, drawing on the vast experience he has gained from more than ten years of competing at the highest level.

“This year is a little bit different to how we did our preparation last year,” he explains. “We thought we’d start a little bit earlier, which will give us a nice advantage, from Oslo on Thursday and then onwards.

“I feel good. I’ve seen the guys who’ve jumped indoors and they’re doing very well. It shows me that I just need to be patient and I need a few more meetings before I get my rhythm back and I just need to start getting some points.”

Any points gained in these early meetings are a bonus for Mokoena, who, since a switch of coaches to Emmarie Fouché, has tended to peak at just the right time to secure major honours.

“It was a target that we wanted to win the Diamond Race,” he recalls, “but we knew that my shape was only going to come at the end of the year. I was lucky that I was able to get into Stockholm and Brussels.  I was able to win both of those meetings and that gave me an advantage with the points and I was able to clinch it at the end of the day.

“The Diamond Race is absolutely a target for me. By the time that I get into shape I’m going to be on fire.”

Indeed, the African long jump record holder is acutely aware of how far he needs to be jumping in order to hit his targets:

“I was speaking to my coach and I said last year I could barely jump 8m until the end of July. So I’m ahead.”

2014 actually marked a return to form for Mokoena, who, having won gold at the World Junior Championships as long ago as 2004, has also secured World Indoor gold and medals at both the Olympic games and World Championships in an illustrious career, had spent a few years suffering with injuries.

“I struggled a bit with my hamstring,” he confirms. “I changed coaches after my previous coach and I decided to part ways. It was tough and I was struggling to find my rhythm, but so far I’m happy.”

Moving to Fouché’s group, which also includes current African long jump champion Zarck Visser, has also meant a return to the triple jump, the event at which Mokoena started his international career:

“My coach told me that she can work on my triple jump and get it better. When we came to the triple jump last year, I started jumping well at the Commonwealth Games. That’s when my shape also started coming. We haven’t done triple jump much this year, but I’ve done one or two home meetings with a short run up. I was able to jump 16.70, so I don’t yet want to start triple jumping with the big guys.”

Some athletes might be daunted by the performances in the Diamond League so far produced by Olympic champion and Christian Taylor and Cuba’s Pedro Pablo Pichardo, but not Mokoena.

“They’re looking super awesome,” he grins. “But from July I’ll be doing triple jump. We’ll start in Lausanne.”

Indeed far from fearing the competition, Mokoena sees the raising of the standards in wholly positive terms.

“Christian Taylor is a great jumper. Seeing him jump 18m – he’s always inspired me and it inspires me that I can also get there. I just need to be patient. Pichardo is also inspiring. He does it so easy. He doesn’t stay long on the ground. That’s one of the tricks to do it.”

Mokoena’s comeback is just one element in a wider resurgence of South African athletics and long jump in particular, something that he attributes to the fierce but friendly rivalries fostered at domestic level.

“Long jump in South Africa has picked up nicely,” he says. “I think it could be the inspiration. There’s a lot of young jumpers in the country and each and every one of them wants to be at the top and at the moment they’re all showing up and all love competing against each other to be at the World Championships and do well. For many years I’ve been alone, the only South African doing long jump and triple jump.  But now things are looking quite nice and these youngsters are keeping me young.”

The Bislett Games in Oslo marks the next step in Mokoena’s bid to retain his Diamond Trophy, and he is under no illusions as to what it will take to ensure that he meets his goals:

“In both long jump and triple jump I’m looking for PRs. As long as I keep doing 8.10m and better, I’m definitely on target.”


Dean Hardman for the IAAF Diamond League