This remarkable achievement has left him overwhelmed with joy. Surpassing all expectations, the ever-smiling 38-year-old secured 11th place in the challenging 87km down-run ultra-marathon.
The race took him from the City Hall in Pietermaritzburg to the Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium, with Seme completing it in an impressive time of 5 hours, 30 minutes, and 5 seconds. It was only his second appearance in the Ultimate Human Race, having finished 33rd in his 2022 debut with a time of 6 hours and seven minutes.
This year, Seme came just one place short of breaking into the top ten, a feat he never anticipated. Days later, he still can’t quite believe it.
In recognition of his exceptional performance in becoming the first KZN runner to cross the finish line, he was awarded R60 000 while his outstanding display also gives him bragging rights for the next 12-months
“This year, the plan was to improve my time of last year,” Seme said.
“My coach and father, Michael Seme, worked on a plan for me to run 4 minutes per kilometre. I wanted to run my own race and not compete with anyone. I still cannot believe that I did it and almost got into the top ten.
“I thought I finished in 22nd position when someone from the crowd told me, and I become happy. I enjoyed my race and could not believe that I missed the top ten by one position. I did not expect to finish where I ended the race!”
Seme senior is a renowned athletics coach who discovered multi-Olympic 800m gold medalist Caster Semenya, as well as great marathon runner Stephen Mokoka.
He is the eldest among his three siblings, being the only boy in his family. From the young age of four, he embraced the passion for running, growing up in a family deeply connected to the sport.
Despite having ambitions of attending the University of Vaal upon graduating from Jabulani Technical in Soweto, Sikhumbuzo joined security company ADT, where he spent two years before relocating to Pretoria. There, he reunited with his father and became a member of the renowned Sponge training group.
The star runner, who currently works for the South African Police Services as a mechanical engineer, shed more light on his rise to prominence.
“I had the privilege of witnessing my father’s coaching esteemed athletes such as Caster Semenya, Stephen Mokoka, and Gladwin Mzazi, and it brought me immense joy to be a part of their journey.
“I perused a mechanical engineering qualification at a college in Pretoria, deepening my knowledge in the field. I challenged myself by participating in marathons like the Bestmed and Nelson Mandela, pushing my limits. The turning point in my career arrived in 2017 when I won the Race of Cancer in Limpopo, completing a grueling 48km and earning a prize of R50 000.
“Another significant milestone was achieved when I ran my personal best time of 2 hours and 18 minutes at the Cape Town Marathon in 2021, shortly after joining the Esteemed Hollywood Athletics Club.”
Going forward, Seme aspires to secure a coveted top ten finish in next year’s Comrades. As he contemplates his journey thus far, he resolves to channel his efforts into excelling in the 10km and 21km races.
In preparation for next year’s uphill event, Seme draws encouragement from his father as well as proudly representing the Purple Family.
