Blanche Moila, a psychiatric nurse by profession, was born 31 January 1957 in Pietersburg. Her love for running began in Durban. In 1984, Moila was the first black female runner to be awarded Springbok colours. She has represented South Africa internationally and completed seven Comrades Marathons, earning a silver medal in 2005.
Running career
Dr. Shorty Moolla, a registrar at a hospital, was impressed by Blanche’s economic running style and convinced her to run competitively. Moila competed in cross country, 1500m, 3000m, 5 000m 10 000m, marathons and ultra-marathons. She earned Springbok colours for cross country and Natal colours for the 1500m, 3000m and 1000m.
During the course of her running career she held provincial records in the 1000m, 1500m, 5000m, 10000m, 16km and 21km races for both cross country and road running. She has won more than 50 KwaZulu-Natal road, cross-country and track races in the 1500m, 3000m, 5000m and 10000m distances. In 1997 she participated in the World Veterans Championships held in Durban. Moila finished second in the marathon, fifth in cross country and fifth in track and field. Moila ran her first Comrades in 199 and in 2005 won a silver medal.
Recognition
Moila has been a recipient of the Presidential Sports Award for Lifetime Sports Achievement (2001), the Shoprite Checkers Woman of the Year Award in 2002, the Andrew Mlangeni Sports Jacket from the Minister of Sports and a SARRA Sportsmanship Award.
Blanche Moila is currently a Senior Registered Nurse in Psychiatry at KZN Department of Health, a KZN Athletes commission member and a board member of Athletics South Africa.