Godfrey Khotso Mokoena
{{short description|South African athlete}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Use South African English|date=May 2012}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| image= Khotso-Mokoena-2009.jpg
| image_size=180px
| caption= Mokoena at the 2009 Lappeenranta Games
| birth_date= {{birth date and age|df=yes|1985|3|6}}
| birth_place=
| height={{height|m=1.90}}
| weight={{convert|73|kg|lb|abbr=on}}
| country= {{RSA}}
| sport =Athletics
| event=Long jump
| coach =
| highestranking =
| pb=
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalCompetition|Olympic Games}}
{{MedalSilver|2008 Beijing|Long jump}}
{{MedalCompetition|World Championships}}
{{MedalSilver|2009 Berlin|Long jump}}
{{MedalCompetition|World Indoor Championships}}
{{MedalGold |2008 Valencia|Long jump}}
{{MedalSilver | 2010 Doha |Long jump}}
{{MedalCompetition|World Athletics Final}}
{{MedalBronze|2007 Stuttgart|Long Jump}}
{{MedalBronze|2009 Thessaloniki|Long Jump}}
{{Medal|Competition|World Indoor Tour}}
{{Medal|Winner|2017|Long jump}}
{{MedalCompetition|African Championships}}
{{MedalGold|2010 Nairobi|Long Jump}}
{{MedalGold|2014 Marrakech|Triple Jump}}
{{MedalSilver|2006 Bambous|Long Jump}}
{{MedalSilver|2006 Bambous|Triple Jump}}
{{MedalSilver|2014 Marrakech|Long Jump}}
{{Medal|Silver|2018 Asaba|Triple Jump}}
{{MedalBronze|2016 Durban| Triple jump}}
{{MedalCompetition|Commonwealth Games}}
{{MedalGold|2014 Glasgow|Triple Jump}}
{{MedalSilver|2006 Melbourne|Triple Jump}}
{{MedalCompetition|All-Africa Games}}
{{MedalSilver|2003 Abuja|Triple Jump}}
{{MedalBronze|2003 Abuja|Long Jump}}
{{MedalBronze|2007 Algiers|Long Jump}}
{{MedalCompetition|Afro-Asian Games}}
{{MedalBronze|2003 Hyderabad|Long Jump}}
{{MedalBronze|2003 Hyderabad|Triple Jump}}
{{MedalCompetition|World Junior Championships}}
{{MedalGold|2004 Grosseto|Triple Jump}}
{{MedalSilver|2004 Grosseto|Long Jump}}
|updated= 15 August 2012
}}
Godfrey Khotso Mokoena OIB (born 6 March 1985 in Heidelberg, South Africa) is a South African athlete who specializes in the long jump and triple jump.
Early life and family
He started his school education at Shalimar Ridge Primary School in Heidelberg, Gauteng. He excelled at gymnastics at a very early age.
He matriculated at Nigel High School, Nigel. His talent at long jump was discovered by Elna de Beer.{{Cite web|title = IAAF: Athlete profile for Godfrey Khotso Mokoena|url = http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/south-africa/godfrey-khotso-mokoena-184678#biography|website = iaaf.org|access-date = 2015-10-05}} He started to compete in athletics at the age of 13.{{Cite web|title = Glasgow 2014 - Khotso Mokoena Profile|url = http://g2014results.thecgf.com/athlete/athletics/1021715/khotso_mokoena.html|website = g2014results.thecgf.com|access-date = 2015-10-05}}
Career
Originally competing in the triple jump, winning the World Junior title in 2004 (he also came second in the long jump) and the silver medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, he switched to long jump in 2007 after an ankle injury. It was a very successful transition. In 2008, he won the long jump at the world indoor championships and silver at the Olympic games.
In July 2009, he set a new African record in long jump, 8.50m in Madrid in an IAAF Super Grand Prix meeting where he finished second behind Fabrice Lapierre. The previous African record, 8.46, was held by Cheikh Toure of Senegal and set in 1997.IAAF, 5 July 2009: [http://www.iaaf.org/GP09/news/kind=100/newsid=51525.html 8.50m African Long Jump record for Mokoena in Madrid – IAAF World Athletics Tour]
For the 2014 Commonwealth Games, he switched back to the triple jump, winning the gold medal.
Achievements
| {{AchievementTable|Event=yes}} |
| colspan="6"|Representing {{RSA}} |
|---|
| 2001
| 5th |High jump |2.10 m |
| 2002
|12th |7.08 m (-0.7 m/s) |
| rowspan=4|2003
|rowspan=2|All-Africa Games |bgcolor="cc9966" align="center" | 3rd |Long jump |7.83 m |
| bgcolor="silver" | 2nd
|Triple jump |16.28 m |
| rowspan=2|Afro-Asian Games
|rowspan=2|Hyderabad, India |bgcolor="cc9966" | 3rd |Long jump |7.76 m |
| bgcolor="cc9966" | 3rd
|Triple jump |15.92 m |
| rowspan=2|2004
|rowspan=2|World Junior Championships |bgcolor="silver" | 2nd |8.09 m (+0.7 m/s) |
| bgcolor="gold" align="center" | 1st
|16.77 m (-0.3 m/s) |
| rowspan=5|2006
|align="center" | 5th |Long jump |8.01 m |
| rowspan=2|Commonwealth Games
|rowspan=2|Melbourne, Australia |align="center" | 4th |Long jump |8.04 m |
| bgcolor="silver" align="center" | 2nd
|Triple jump |16.95 m |
| rowspan=2|African Championships
|bgcolor="silver" align="center" | 2nd |Long jump |8.45 m w |
| bgcolor="silver" align="center" | 2nd
|Triple jump |16.67 m w |
| rowspan=3|2007
|bgcolor="cc9966" align="center" | 3rd |Long jump |7.99 m |
| World Championships
|align="center" | 5th |8.19 m |
| World Athletics Final
|bgcolor="cc9966" align="center" | 3rd |Long jump |8.12 m |
| rowspan=2|2008
|bgcolor="gold" align="center" | 1st |8.08 m |
| Olympic Games
|bgcolor="silver" align="center" | 2nd |8.24 m |
| rowspan=2|2009
|bgcolor="silver" align="center" | 2nd |Long jump |8.47 m |
| World Athletics Final
|bgcolor="cc9966" align="center" | 3rd |Long jump |8.17 m |
| rowspan=2|2010
|bgcolor="silver" align="center" | 2nd |8.08 m |
| African Championships
|bgcolor="gold" align="center" | 1st |Long jump |8.23 m |
| rowspan=3|2014
|bgcolor="gold" align="centre" | 1st |Triple jump |17.20 m |
| rowspan=2|African Championships
|bgcolor="silver" align="center" | 2nd |Long jump |8.02 m |
| bgcolor="gold" align="center" | 1st
|Triple jump |17.03 m |
| rowspan=2|2015
|rowspan=2|World Championships |rowspan=2|Beijing, China |13th (q) |7.98 m |
| 9th
|16.81 m |
| rowspan=2|2016
|bgcolor=cc9966|3rd |16.77 m |
| Olympic Games
|21st (q) |16.51 m |
| rowspan=2|2018
|14th |7.53 m |
| African Championships
|bgcolor=silver|2nd |16.83 m |
=Personal bests=
- Long jump – 8.50 m (2009){{Cite web |url=http://www.athlerecords.net/Records/AFRIQUE/PLEINAIR/RSA.htm |title=South African athletics records |access-date=8 March 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070819203728/http://www.athlerecords.net/Records/AFRIQUE/PLEINAIR/RSA.htm |archive-date=19 August 2007 |url-status=dead }}
- Triple jump – 17.35 m (2005) NR
- High jump – 2.10 m (2001)
=Family response=
Phakiso Mokoena, father of Godfrey, was quoted in a local newspaper "Godfrey initially found it difficult to qualify for the Olympics, but has through hard work endured and finished second in the world."
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Sports links}}
{{Footer World Indoor Champions Long Jump Men}}
{{Footer African Champions men's long jump}}
{{Footer African Champions men's triple jump}}
{{Footer Commonwealth Champions Triple Jump Men}}
{{Footer IAAF Diamond League Long Jump Champions Men}}
{{Footer World Junior Champions men's triple jump}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mokoena, Godfrey Khotso}}
Category:People from Lesedi Local Municipality
Category:South African Sotho people
Category:South African male long jumpers
Category:South African male triple jumpers
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Category:University of Pretoria alumni
Category:Olympic athletes for South Africa
Category:Olympic silver medalists for South Africa
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2014 Commonwealth Games
Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for South Africa
Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for South Africa
Category:Commonwealth Games medallists in athletics
Category:World Athletics Championships medalists
Category:Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for South Africa
Category:Olympic silver medalists in athletics (track and field)
Category:African Games silver medalists for South Africa
Category:African Games medalists in athletics (track and field)
Category:African Games bronze medalists for South Africa
Category:Olympic male triple jumpers
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2003 All-Africa Games
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2007 All-Africa Games
Category:Diamond League winners
Category:World Athletics Indoor Championships winners
Category:South African Athletics Championships winners
Category:Athletes from Gauteng
Category:Medallists at the 2006 Commonwealth Games