Van der Burgh, fiancée set for My Big Fat Greek Wedding FAMILY FUN FOR 4 AT FOURWAYS
ONE of the country’s most-loved sons of the water, Cameron van der Burgh, jets off to Greece today and in a few days he will tie the knot with fiancée Nefeli Valakelis.
They will exchange vows at a cliff-side villa in the Greek capital, Athens, on July 2, in what he quips would be the third instalment of the popular movie franchise My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
Valakelis is a qualified lawyer but hung up her legal gown and now works as an account manager at advertising firm, Ogilvy & Mather.
The couple, both 30, attended the same school but only really noticed each other much later in life when they met at a bar on two separate occasions.
“We were both seeing other people when we first re-met after many years and then we met again at a bar and we were both single,” said a smiling Van der Burgh.
And the wedding gown?
Valakelis will be dressed by Spanish wedding couture designer Pronovias, who is based in Barcelona, Spain, with an office in Sandton in Joburg.
Guests from South Africa and other parts of the world will make a total of 170 for the wedding and includes the likes of Ryk Neethling, Chad le Clos and TV personality Maps Maponyane.
“Maps is a friend of mine but he is also doing something for Top Billing on the wedding,” said Van der Burgh.
The groom-to-be shyly admitted he was inspired by another South African swimming great, Penny Heyns.
“I cut out pics of Penny and pasted them inside my cupboard door but I did not dream about her in that way (laughs). I only dreamt of winning like she did.”
His best moment came at the 2012 Olympic Games in London when he raced to gold in the 100m breaststroke race after taking out the first 50m in a blazing split, and broke the world record in the process.
“I remember Ryk telling me: ‘you don’t realise just how much your life is going to change’,” said Van der Burgh.
Neethling’s words only had real meaning to Van der Burgh when he returned home from the London Olympic Games and was greeted by thousands of people at the airport.
“It was an incredible feeling. It was crazy,” he said as he remembered that moment.
But he has remained humble and started planning for a life after swimming immediately after winning his first gold in London.
Van der Burgh started his own company, Touch 58, which is named for his winning time in London in 2012 and it focuses on corporate partnerships, sponsorships and investment.
This big man with an even bigger heart is also actively part of a global charity organisation called Steps, which assists children who are born with clubfoot.
Clubfoot is a deformity in which an infant’s foot is turned inward, often so severely that the bottom of the foot faces sideways or even upwards. Approximately one infant in every 1 000 live births will have clubfoot, making it one of the more common congenital (present at birth) foot deformities.
Van der Burgh helps to raise money for Steps so that they can fix these children’s feet and give them a chance of having a normal life.
“Did you know, it only costs R2 500 to change a child’s life for ever? It takes about one-and-a-half years for the deformity to be completely fixed,” he said.
Asked where he now keeps his medals after a break-in at his parents’ home in Pretoria in 2012, he said: “I keep my medals at my parents’ house, behind big dogs and guards.”
Van der Burgh is all about the team and said he would never forget the 10 teammates who accompanied him for the day in preparation of that memorable London final.
“They followed me everywhere. At the warm-up and they made so much noise as I swam to gold and when I touched first.
“My first fist-pump went to those amazing guys who supported me,” said Van der Burgh.
While Van der Burgh plans to retire after the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, he said he would take it six months at a time, to see how much further his body would allow him to go. FOURWAYS Mall is giving one lucky family of four the chance to experience the ultimate day of #Fourwaysfun to the value of R1 500.
This exciting prize includes a BOUNCE family ticket for four with funky bounce socks for keeps, PLUS ten-pin bowling at the Fun Company and credits to use at the Fun Company Arcade. The winner will receive a R500 voucher to use at any store or restaurant in Fourways Mall.
To enter, SMS SS (space) #Fourwaysfun followed by your name, surname and email address to 41895. T&CS apply. SMSES costs R1.50. Competition closes June 27. Winners will be contacted via telephone/email.
Don’t miss out on #Fourwaysfun taking place from June 22-July 1 – there will be 14 pop-up entertainment stations for the whole family to enjoy, so don’t miss out.