Many U of T athletes pursue academic disciplines that align with their athletic experiences. For instance, the kinesiology program is a popular choice among Varsity Blues, providing students with practical opportunities to bridge academic disciplines and athletic experiences through studying human movement and mechanics.
However, as a student pursuing a psychology specialist and a statistics minor, Phikelela “PK” Moyo takes a different approach. In an interview with The Varsity, the men’s track and field captain details the ups and downs throughout his athletic journey, as well as how his athletic experiences have contributed to his academic and career aspirations.
Beginnings in athletics
Moyo’s journey in track and field began around grade four when he joined his elementary school’s team. In addition to track and field, he was a member of the soccer team. “I knew that I was fast [through playing soccer]… I was not really enjoying the sport, but I did enjoy running.”
It wasn’t until grade eight that he decided to seriously pursue track and field and joined his local track club, the Oakville Legion Track and Field Club — now renamed the Oakville Renegades Track Club — deciding in grade 11 that he wanted to run at the collegiate level.
With the COVID-19 pandemic interrupting his formal training that year, Moyo trained diligently, setting a goal to make it to the provincial Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) Track and Field Championships in grade 12.
“[I wanted to] use that [as an opportunity] to find universities that I would be interested in going to, which ultimately landed me at U of T.”
Collegiate athletics
In grade 12, Moyo committed to an NCAA Division 1 (D1) college in the US. However, he declined his acceptance at the last minute, opting to attend U of T instead.
“Although I was going D1 and that’s what I wanted to do, [I thought that] it was not very sustainable… I would rather prioritize my education over my sports because you can do sports anywhere, but [your school] matters.”
It was not until he tried out for the team and joined as a walk-on that he realized the depth of talent on the Blues’ track team. “I think when I came in, we were ranked second or first… I feel like I got the best of both worlds.”
Moyo contributed to the team’s success in his freshman year, placing seventh in the 60m dash at OUAs in under seven seconds. He also was a part of the Blues’ 4×200 metre relay team at U SPORTS, which placed sixth. Then, he captained the men’s track and field team in his second year, where they achieved a team U SPORTS silver medal.
Leadership and captaincy
As captain, Moyo has described keeping team morale high as a key aspect of his role. For him, it’s important that “people don’t feel discouraged about getting hurt and things like that. I’ve also been in that position, so I know what it’s like to feel left out or down because of an injury that took you a week or two back.”
Moyo’s inspiration is track and field icon Trayvon Bromell — who shares the same faith and religious values — and takes inspiration in his ability to cope with setbacks and pushing through despite encountering various injuries. “I was close to quitting track multiple times, but I know I can keep pushing because others have been doing that at a higher level.”
Another athlete he regards as an inspiration is Shaun Maswanganyi, a South African sprinter who recently won a silver medal at the 2024 Olympics. “I also grew up in South Africa, so I feel like I have that tie as well. It’s nice seeing somebody from where I grew up performing well on the world stage.”
Future aspirations
Despite facing various injuries last year, which cut his indoor season short and took away his outdoor season, Moyo has returned stronger than ever this year.
At the Panda’s Open meet on February 7 at the University of Alberta, Moyo matched his personal best time of 6.88 seconds in the preliminary heats of the 60-metre dash. He then ran 6.81 seconds in the final, the second fastest 60m time in U of T history. “Since coming here, I always wanted to take the school record… when I ran 6.88 [seconds] my freshman year, I knew it was a tangible goal of mine.”
Another goal Moyo has his sights set on is going to U SPORTS for his individual event.
Regarding his goals beyond athletics, Moyo has plans to leverage his athletic experience and connections gained through track and field to supplement his career aspirations, offering an introspective approach to bridging academic, athletic, and career pursuits. He hopes to pursue a career in sports psychology or psychotherapy with Athletics Canada. “I really want to do mental therapy for athletes specifically.”
After his time as an undergraduate, Moyo plans to get a master’s in psychotherapy, obtain a license to practice, and then pursue a PhD.
Moyo’s story is one of resilience and perseverance, in which he acknowledges the importance of moving on and pushing through setbacks, whether athletic or academic. “It’s not easy to be a student-athlete, especially at a school like U of T… it’s easy to be unmotivated. Having that perseverance lets you push through that. [The same goes for] assessments; they don’t always go your way, but… life keeps going.”
The Varsity wishes Moyo and the Varsity Blues Track and Field Team good luck at the upcoming OUA and U SPORTS final competitions!
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