Durban teen rides wave to success
A YOUNG Durban swimmer, who will represent South Africa in a water polo tournament in Hungary in July, said she would like to see many more black children involved in water sports.
Ayanda Maphumulo, 16, of Westville, is a member of the Durban Surf Lifesaving Club and the Elite Athlete Development Programme at the Prime Human Performance Institute.
The Durban Girls’ College Grade 10 pupil said her parents signed her up for swimming classes when she was 14 months old after an accident where she suffered hand burns.
“Our geyser had a leak, which was on our patio. I crawled into a puddle of water. My parents felt it could have been more serious had the wa- ter been deeper.
“They decided it was important for me to learn to navigate in water,” she said.
While growing up, Ayanda decided to put her skill to good use by getting into competitive swimming and lifesaving.
Ayanda said she had been called on to save countless people unable to swim since she qualified as a lifeguard almost three years ago.
“I have assisted so many people at the beach, most of whom go into the water after having too much to drink. Some are just stubborn people who underestimate the waves and ignore warnings.
“It’s a fulfilling job. Sometimes the people I help rescue are way bigger than I am,” she said.
Ayanda normally worked during off-peak season, but had worked on the Day of Reconciliation, December 16, and January 1, two of the busiest beach days on the calendar, to challenge herself more, she said.
Ayanda said one of her dreams was to inspire more young black people to get into swimming and other water sports.
Generation
“In the past, it was commonly said that not many black people are good swimmers. I don’t want that to be said about people of my generation when the opportunities are now there.
“A lot of schools offer swimming and most communities have swimming facilities, and I would like to inspire others to take full advantage of that,” she said.
Ayanda’s first protégé has been her sister, Owethu, 8, now a pro in water.
Ayanda’s swimming achievements include the 2013 African Junior Championships in Zambia where she came fifth in the 100m and 50m fly races; representing the Durban Surf team in the World Championships in France last year where she came seventh overall; and completing the Four Elements Ocean Challenge.
Training six days a week had instilled discipline in her and she said she hoped her hard work would land her a swimming scholarship in the US.
Ayanda’s team would be leaving for Serbia on June 30 where they will spend a week training with water polo coaches before taking part in the tournament.