WAYDE’S WORLD: SPRINTER TRAINS WITH OLYMPIC CHAMP’S COACH
A YOUNG athlete and his father are both on cloud nine after being offered the opportunity of a lifetime to attend a two-week training course presented by world-class coach Tannie Ansie Botha in Bloemfontein.
Botha is the coach of 400m world record holder and Olympic and world champion Wayde van Niekerk.
Sensational Breidbach athlete Dwayne Pharo, 14, and his dad Wayne left King William’s Town for the Free State on December 27 and are expected back this week.
“Tannie Ansie Botha invited me to attend a two-week training course and the feeling is very awesome and a nice experience to train with the best coach – as I believe that you have to learn from the best to become the best,” the rising star from Kingswood College said.
Last year the former Breidbach Primary and Dale College pupil competed in the under-14 boys 100m and long jump events, where he emerged the winner and was included in the provincial team to participate in the national championships held in KwaZulu-Natal.
His inclusion in the Eastern Cape provincial side came after he clocked the 100m in a time of 11.19 sec and jumped a distance of 6.07m in the long jump event at the Sarah Baartman Regional Athletics Championships held in Port Elizabeth.
Unfortunately, he didn’t make it at the national championship as he competed against older opponents, according to his father Wayne.
“I am ecstatic and overwhelmed by this opportunity as I see it as a very good platform to prepare my son for the upcoming athletic season,” Wayne said.
The excited dad said it all started when Dwayne’s school rugby coach Pieter Serfortein attended a sports conference in Cape Town where he met Tannie Ans.
“They started a conversation and he mentioned about Dwayne’s potential in athletics and that is when she agreed to give him the opportunity to attend the training course in Bloemfontein,” Wayne said.
“I accompanied my son and it was wonderful meeting 400m record holder and world champion Wayde van Niekerk and Tannie Ansie Botha, and it was a brilliant moment in Dwayne’s life.”
Van Niekerk is a South African track and field sprinter who competes in the 200 and 400 metres and is the current world record holder, world champion and Olympic champion in the 400m (43.03).
He also holds the world best time in the 300m (30.81), while his personal best for the 100m is 9.90 and he clocked the 200m in 19.84 seconds.
Dwayne explained that the training schedule commenced at 4.30pm during weekdays and on weekends at 9am.
“The training is interesting, not tough and I can’t really tell you the schedule because every day we do different training.
“I am the only one from my school and all those other athletes are professionals,” Dwayne said.
“You are going to see more records being broken this year. I am hoping to excel in my performance and praying that God protects me from injuries.”