Athens - The unsung hero of South Africa's silver in the 800m is medal-winner Mbulaeni Mulaudzi's room-mate, Hezekiel Sepeng.
The 23-year-old Mulaudzi wanted to return to SA three weeks ago after ending last in a Golden League athletics meeting in Zurich.
Mulaudzi's self-confidence was non-existent, but the next day he joined Sepeng, a former Olympic silver medal winner, and his other SA Olympic team-mates, but his heart and soul wasn't in Athens.
Sepeng convinced him to stay, gave him confidence and told him not to be a coward.
Sepeng is known for taking inexperienced team-mates under his wing.
The shot-putter Burger Lambrechts said he heard Sepeng talking to Mulaudzi on the steps outside his Olympic Village flat, telling Mulaudzi that "of course you can beat all the guys".
"It was special to hear the way Hezekiel was talking to Mulaudzi," Lambrechts said.
Mulaudzi's preparation also improved after his coach, Ian Harries of Vanderbijlpark, joined him in Athens.
Sepeng said: "Something good came from our room. We can boast with a medal," he said.
Mulaudzi, who won the bronze in last year's world championships in Paris, said after Saturday's final that it had been "a good race. I thought I was going to win the gold, but then Borazakowski passed me".
Thirty-year-old Sepeng, who ended fourth in Sydney in 2000, said his own race didn't work out because the pace had been too slow on the first lap.
"My career is not over. I want to compete in several races in Europe before returning to South Africa. Life continues," Sepeng said.
