Manfred Seidler Appointed as The New Hollywood Athletics Club Manager
Former Two Oceans Marathon Elite Athlete Co-Ordinator, appointed Hollywood Athletics Club Manager
Hollywood Athletics Club has had a rapid rise in the South African athletics scene. From humble beginnings in 2016 as a social running club in KwaZulu-Natal with only 30 members, the club has grown into a club that is now spread in KZN, Eastern Cape, Gauteng and the Free State.
It also boasts several of the finest elite athletes in the country, which the likes of 2018 Comrades Marathon Champion, Ann Ashworth, the 2022 Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon runner up, Nkosikhona Mhlakwana, and more recently, the addition of World 50km record holder, Irvette van Zyl.
“When we started the club in 2016, we really only thought about a smaller regional club,” says Club Chairman, Greg Glossop. “But the Purple Team just made such an impact that more and more people wanted to join and even elites started to join.
With the rapid growth and interest, we felt it was in our best interests to contract a full-time manager who will lead and guide the elites, but to also make sure we cater to the needs of those who make the sport entertaining, the social runner.”
To this end, Hollywood AC has employed the Services of Manfred Seidler, who brings with him 30 years of experience in sports across an array of areas. Seidler has been involved in sport in areas such as elite athlete management at major races to covering the Olympic Games on four occasions.
During this time, he worked with all the major races in South Africa, consulted with the National Federation, ASA, built an international network with races, managers and athletes and a vast data base of media contacts.
The Hollywood Athletics Club ethos is to do things differently and Seidler’s experience across a variety of fields will be a great addition in following that ethos. His passion for the sport knows no bounds and he is at his happiest when cheering on athletes in a race. As a well-known athletics commentator and correspondent, Seidler brings with him the ability to understand and speak the athletes’ language, a trait which will be of great benefit to the club.
“The offer to become part of the club came out of the blue,” says Seidler. “It was not something I had ever expected, and it is really an incredible honour and privilege to be approached by such an illustrious club,” he says.