In an exclusive interview, Banyana Banyana and Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies midfielder Kholosa Biyana, who recently returned to Banyana Ba Style's squad after a challenging injury, opened up about her recovery process, motivation, and the unwavering support from her team.
Announced as a new signing for Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies on August 29, 2023, Biyana also made headlines when she played for the Spanish side Sporting Gijón during the 2020-21 season, showcasing her skills on an international platform. Her stint in Spain not only honed her abilities but also highlighted her resilience and adaptability..
Challenges of Recovery
During Banyana Banyana's CAF Women's Olympic Qualifiers against Tanzania in February, Biyana was forced to go out for South Africa after sustaining an injury. Reflecting on the difficult journey of her recovery, “Fox”, as commonly called by her peers, candidly shared the physical and emotional challenges she faced during her recovery process.
“I think it’s the fact that mentally you’re alone, you are just alone most of the time [and] people tend to forget about you (like your teammates).” She revealed. “ It’s also sad to always see that you can help your team but at the same time you can’t because you’re out injured, but most importantly it’s the mental aspect of it.”
When asked how she managed to stay motivated during rehabilitation, Kholosa expressed how her perspective shifted and credited her love for the unwavering desire to return to the field.
“The most important thing is to always understand that at times it’s a blessing in disguise, it’s also an opportunity for you to work harder. I just wanted to come back as soon as possible and I wanted to come back stronger than I was, and that's why I pushed myself during recovery like doing my rehabilitation process.”
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Advice to Other Athletes
Offering advice to fellow athletes dealing with injuries, Kholosa stressed the importance of discipline and the significance of a strong support system..
“The advice I’d give to other players is to make sure that they are disciplined, always eat well, I think that’s the most important thing and always make sure that you do your rehab and finish it. Just finish your rehab and have people to assist you in your rehab.”
Support from Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies
Kholosa spoke warmly about the support she received from her team, Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, throughout her injury and recovery process.
“The most important thing is that they are always there to treat me, there's always someone with me in the gym to help me do my exercises well, like Vanessa [Khoza] she's always been there helping me and supporting me, always pushing me to get back.”
She expressed deep gratitude for her teammates, who played a crucial role in her journey back to fitness.
“You are nothing without your teammates, you can always run and push as much as you can but you always need your teammates to help you. They always push me at training and challenge, obviously [right now] they are at a higher stage than I normally am, [but] they are pushing me to get back and I measure myself based on them and what I see them doing.”
Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies lock horns with Durban Ladies on Saturday, 15 June in the Hollywoodbets Super League at King Zwelithini Stadium. Kick off is 13H00.
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