Matthews Batswadi

Who is Matthews Batswadi?

Matthews Batswadi, a South African athlete, was the first black athlete to be awarded Springbok Colours, the name then given to South African national sporting colours, after the implementation of the policy of apartheid by the National Party in 1948.

Batswadi received Springbok Colours in 1977 after the national athletics federation, the South African Amateur Athletics Association, deracialised its constitution to allow blacks and whites to compete against each other.

Batswadi won nine national titles from 1975 to 1980 and was renowned for his frontrunning tactics. He was born at Dithakong, near Vryburg in the Northern Cape Province, and retired from athletics competition in 1986.

His stadium record for the 10 000 metres of 28:46.8 at the Germiston Stadium in Ekhuruleni, set at the South African Athletics Championships in 1978, still stands. The Germiston Stadium is located at an altitude of 1600 metres above sea-level and the performance is thus noteworthy. The 1978 National Championships was also significant because it signalled the emergence of Batswadi's namesake, Matthews Motshwarateu, who won the 5000 metres in 14:07.