Nelson Mandela congratulates South Africa’s athletics medal winners

August 26, 2009 – Nelson Mandela today congratulated South Africa’s athletes who won medals at the recent World Athletics Championships in Berlin.

The men’s and women’s 800m gold medallists, Mbulaeni Mulaudzi and Caster Semenya, and long jump silver medallist Khotso Mokoena met Mr Mandela in his office in Houghton.

Before they met Mr Mandela the athletes, who wore Mandela Day t-shirts for the occasion, were greeted by singing and cheers from the staff of the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

The three had been invited by Mr Mandela so that he could congratulate them all on their success in the championships. They were accompanied by the president of Athletics South Africa, Leonard Chuene.

Mr Mandela’s youngest daughter, Zindzi Mandela, was also on hand to congratulate the trio. “Aha – heroes,” she said as they posed with her father.

Mulaudzi won his event in 1:45:20. Semenya’s time of 1:55:45 set a new South African record. Mokoena, who was the only South African athlete to win a medal in the Beijing Olympics, won silver for a jump of 8.47 metres.

“It’s a great experience, it’s a great honour, he’s like a father, he changed the nation,” said Mokoena after the meeting.

Semenya added: “It’s been a long time that I wanted to meet him; I can’t wait to tell my dad.”

Mulaudzi said: “I am very happy … it’s a great honour to come here and greet the great man.”