Hi, I’m Tshepo Lefete, a South African 110m hurdle athlete. I was born and raised by my grandparents and mother in Bloemfontein. While growing up I had a very strong interest in sports and debating, hence I joined the debating team in school. I was fortunate enough to have always been a people’s person and as a kid I began developing my leadership skills. I also used to mentor kids at the High Performance Centre Tuks Sports High School. Currently I am a student at the University of Johannesburg based at Auckland Park and Capitan of the UJ athletics team. I am still a Bloemfontein kid at heart, even though I’m loving Johannesburg.

Soccer was my first love. I would play and be seen with a soccer ball before school, break times and after school before athletics practice. My very first gift was a soccer ball and I can remember in 1997 when I was 5 years old when Manning Rangers won the first Premier League watching and reading about the game. I was too competitive for team sport and with Athletics I’m able to take responsibility for my own performance.

Yes, I’m a pro athlete now in the sport of Track and Field. It means the world to me. I understand my responsibility of not only being an athlete, not only being a young man in society, but as a leader to carry myself like a champion and a true professional. To be an example to those around me, I’m blessed and really want to continue pushing forward.

Having good eyesight is key and I have always struggled with my eyes. Training and competing were an issue. Especially having to compete at night with the big, bright stadium lights, getting over the barriers I needed extra concentration to finish the race in one piece. I finally took the decision to run with my glasses tying them up with my shoe lace, the crowd and members of the media loved it, but more importantly I could see.