Champion ocean athlete Madison has big dreams
In a ball gown she is a beauty. She is cheeky and she sparkles and she can tell you to take a long walk on a short pier and you will look forward to the trip, but if she is sitting on a Fenn ski with a paddle in her hands, then the beast comes out.
Or at the start of a 10km swim or diamond lady (life-saving women’s interpretation of iron man) you might wish you had a different opposition if you were competing against her.
Madison Malherbe is no-holds-barred when the starter’s gun goes off. It tells in her results.
She competes in the SA open water nationals, representing Eastern Cape.
She has placed in the top three at the lifesaving nationals since under-8 and top three in iron lady since under-14. At the tender age of 18, she has more trophies than I have had breakfasts.
I was amused recently to visit the Nahoon Surf Lifesavers Shack. Madison was doing her Florence Nightingale/Mother Teresa performance. She had a young lad’s foot cradled in her lap as she fixed a kicked open toe.
Come along, this is a boy. I am sure he knows how to operate scissors, plasters and bandages but he seemed to be enjoying the attention and that is Madison. If you are drowning, she will come and fetch you.
She swims in 3km, 5km and 10km competitions — keep in mind single-engine rubber ducks are authorised to run 1.8km out to sea, so where the duck stops, you can be a long way from home and she will still come and get you.
Professional lifeguard Andrew Mills has high praise for Madison. “She pours her heart into all that she does and has an extremely high standard for herself and what she does. Highly competitive. And overall very considerate and kind.”
This I could see as she helped the young man with a sore foot.
I asked Madison about her recent matric grade last year. “B,” she said to me with a look of dissatisfaction.
Considering that she has been a member of the Stirling High School Jazz band for four years and played lead alto sax for three years I think she deserves another medal for all-rounder.
Our young champion says she found Covid-19 and lockdown tough and it was hard to stick to dedicated training when all upcoming events were cancelled.
She had a hard time keeping up her motivation but said to herself: “If I do not train or compete, then I will not be Madison.”
“This girl has gees,” says born lifesaver and athlete Steve Woods.
Asked about fears, Madison says fear of disappointing herself — once again we are looking at an ocean athlete who just does not consider sharks.
Mom Vanessa and dad Craig have reason to be proud. In slipstream behind his big sister, son Tyde, 14, has also just come home from the SA canoe flat water sprints where he placed 2nd under the watchful eye of fabulous local coach Beth Burton.
The talent in this family knows no boundaries. “I was born into a beach lifestyle,” says Madison.
“My dad was a lifeguard and I love the ocean. I am a sucker for adventure and I love the people that this sport has brought into my life. This is my safe place.”
Just returned from the recent round Robben Island Freedom Day Adventure Challenge, Madison said: “Freedom is said to be a state of mind. Out there being surrounded by the open ocean I felt the privilege of feeling free.
There were, however, moments in the race that were tough but I just put my head down and thought of the years Nelson Mandela spent on Robben Island and realised the few minutes of pain I felt out there were minute compared to what our historic freedom fighter went through for us to have the beautiful country we can now all call home.”
Young Madison has big dreams. SA team life-saving and the world games in Italy 2021. She would like to be a coach and a music teacher. She likes Parma ham and fig or seafood pizza.
She enjoys photography and watching the sunrise and sunset and says: “You only realise how much things mean to you after they have been taken away.”
Madison’s brutal training is backed up by a gentle confidence. “Don’t force anything. If it is meant to be in your life, it will happen.”
As I look at her, I think green and gold in Italy 2021 is meant to be. It could not happen to a nicer young woman.