Teen sprint sensation turns adversity into motivation
LOOKING out onto a barren field, Carl van Reenen breathes in deeply and forgets about the stress, decisions and family troubles that normally weigh him down. He looks out at the 100m mark and shoots off at the sound of the gun.
Eleven seconds later, he hits his target and a smile spreads across his face. While Carl catches his breath, he makes his way back to the start.
“My best time so far is 10 seconds for 100m and 7.1m for long jump. I’m a long jumper and 100m sprinter. The effort I put in on the track and my time for my age is why they say I’m the next Wayde (van Niekerk),” said the 17-year-old.
The Mount View High pupil from Hanover Park has been hailed as the “next big thing” by athletics coach Tasriek Williams. After he broke the school’s 100m, 200m sprint and relay records, they knew Carl needed training.
“Our young men today of 14, 15 years old walk around with guns in the community and grow up with a single parent. Doing this makes Carl different, he chose a different path,” said Williams.
“Carl’s first year was an inspiration for me as a coach. I took him under my wing and started working with him because I saw the potential. Coming from primary school, he already had the mindset of becoming a Western Province sportsman.”
Williams said great athletes and musicians such as Van Niekerk, Benni McCarthy and Vicky Sampson all grew up in areas such as Hanover Park and looked beyond those boundaries, which he said Carl hopes to do too.
The teenager is determined to make it big and compete with Van Niekerk one day, so he dedicates his time to training with Williams six days a week from 7am before school, until 7pm in the evening at Vygieskraal stadium.
He forms part of the Western Cape Athletics team and is preparing for the Provincial High Schools Athletics in Potchefstroom.
“The first day I did sports, everyone knew me, it was a hectic time. During trials, I got a ligament problem and a bone popped out, but I got through it and made Western Province colours,” he said.
“Another friend of mine is a PSL soccer player and he is dropping out (of school) to focus on that. He came to me and told me to drop out too. Sometimes I have a negative mindset because of the environment that surrounds me.
“I don’t have a father figure, its just my mother. It’s hard for me and my sister.”
Williams said Carl has risen above the negativity in Hanover Park and is trying to carve another path for himself by pursuing his athletic career.
“DURING TRIALS, I GOT A LIGAMENT PROBLEM AND A BONE POPPED OUT, BUT I GOT THROUGH IT AND MADE WP COLOURS