Paddler’s role as mentor makes him my hero

MORNÉ du Plessis wrote this about rugby: “It’s a brutal, heroic, painful, skilful and beautiful game that encompasses all the best traits of the human spirit.”

The former Springbok captain and 1995 Rugby World Cup team manager, was introducing a book, South Africa’s 50 most famous rugby photos – by Supersport, Jonathan Ball Publishers and Gallo Images/Getty Images.

Du Plessis explains: “The pictures remind us of wonderful acts of skill and courage, of terrible pain (both physical and mental) and of events that shaped our lives as rugby players and supporters.”

The collection is an awesome story, indeed. Even better, it fires up one’s own memories. After looking at all these amazing photos, I came up with selections of my own. First, my favourite rugby players? Top five: Zinzan Brooke (NZ), Justin Swart (RSA), Olivier Magne (France), Cornal Hendricks (RSA). And, No 1: Carlos Spencer (NZ). King Carlos.

Second, my favourite stars, across all sports.

I finally settled on the achievements of Hank McGregor.

Hank can easily claim to be “the best paddler on earth”. He grew up at his Dad’s knee, the legendary Lee McGregor, being told: “First is first, second is nothing.”

Following in his father’s footsteps, Hank’s astonishing achievements are testament to this single-minded hunger, culminating in being crowned world marathon champ for the fifth time in Hungary two weeks ago.

Imagine that. Being world champion, five times.

But in my “greatest sporting achievements”, Hank actually comes second.

To another paddler. He won the Dusi Canoe Marathon seven times, and plenty other titles.With nothing left to prove, Martin Dreyer then pulled off something truly remarkable.

For years he had paddled through the Dusi River valley in rural KwaZulu-Natal. This time, Dreyer’s purpose was not personal victory, but taking young Zulu men from these same valleys, and training them into a new generation of paddling champions – a sport they had never even contemplated.

Dreyer pitched his tent in the rain and began training shoulder-to-shoulder with his eager young Zulu men, teaching them every conceivable lesson he had learned at the knee of “King of the Dusi”, Graeme Pope-Ellis, and as a champion himself.

Some thought Dreyer was mad. But in the past seven years, Dreyer’s successes have been the stuff of legend, as his Zuluspeaking proteges have taken paddling by storm.

And therein lies the beauty of sport. Because, as Du Plessis said, it’s not about the actual ball-play, but illustration of “the best traits of the human spirit”.

That’s why, on my personal “Sporting Roll of Honour”, Martin Dreyer wins, by far.