Jayde Rosslee will represent South Africa in Zambia

Jayde Roslee (19) recently won the 5 000m in the Junior South African Championships in Pietermaritzburg, making him the South African champion, the best of the best in the country.

In a few weeks, he heads to Zambia to compete with his preliminary squad at the Junior African Championships.

A passionate athlete

Jayde started running at the age of seven and he just never stopped.

“I always loved doing sports and competed in multiple events such as rugby and hockey. I even did sprints and hurdles before starting with the longer distance running,” said Jayde.

“My mom forced me to try long-distance running when I was in Grade One and if it wasn’t for her, I don’t think I would have discovered my talent for distance running.”

He competes under a professional club, Boxer Athletics Club, managed by Rhyn Swanepoel.

“I train seven days a week and do about nine to 10 sessions weekly. Most days, I train twice a day,” he said.

According to Jayde, cross country is more than just running. You must also have patience and a strategy because it is impossible to run flat out for 8km.

“With time, you start to learn your competitors, and you can use that to your advantage once you know their strengths and weaknesses. In any distance sport, the keys to success are consistency, attending training sessions and staying motivated, no matter how tough it gets.”

He has competed in every province since he started running.

“So, I travel a lot, and I do a lot of running. I think my furthest distance in one training or session is about a 25km run,” said Jayde.

Career highlights

“My biggest accomplishment was finishing 20th at the World Cross Country Championships.”

This was also his best cross-country experience. “Meeting people from different countries, sharing experiences, making new friends. It was also incredible walking among the greatest athletes in the world and talking to them.”

When it comes to career highlights, Jayde’s list is too long to name each one, but the three most memorable moments were when he won his first medal at the national competition in April 2021.

“At this point, it was my first time competing at national championships since 2017. I also had the fastest time in South Africa, so there was a lot of pressure, but despite all the pressure, I managed to get a silver medal on the 3 000m with a time of 8:34,” he explained.

This year has been noteworthy because he ranked in the top 20 in the world for the 3 000m for boys aged between 16 and 17 while representing SA at the World Cross Championships in Bathurst, Australia.

“This is a distance athlete’s dream – to compete on an international stage – and never did I think I’d represent my country and finish in the top 20 in the world.

“It was a dream come true for me. I met some of the best athletes in the world, made new friends and proved to myself that I am one of the best in the world.”

During the National Championships in Pietermaritzburg, he achieved his first gold medal at a national level, and for him, it was one of the best feelings in the world.

“To prove to the people that I am the best in SA is something I can not describe in words.”

He did not only win a gold medal in the 5 000m category for junior men, but he also walked away with a bronze medal in the 3 000m for junior men.

“My time for the 5 000m was 14:40, and for the 3 000m, I achieved 8:24. It was a successful weekend, walking away with two medals at the South African Championships.”

Plans for the future

His goal is to become a professional athlete and compete at the Olympics in 2028.

“I also hope to inspire other athletes, to prove to them that if you want something enough, and you work hard, you can achieve anything,” he said.

In August, he will start his university career in the United States. He will continue his running career at Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois.

“This university is a division one university, which means I’ll be competing at the highest level of college sport.”

A few athletes inspire him, but the one who stands out is Jakob Ingebrigtsen. He is only 23 and is already considered one of the best athletes in the world.

“It’s not often that European athletes dominate the longer distances, but he proved everybody wrong. At 23, he is already an Olympic champion, world champion and a world record holder.”

Jayde’s history

He was born and raised in Alberton with his younger sister, Danielle.

“My fondest childhood memory is when my cousins visited every weekend. We spent most of our weekends in my grandparents’ back yard where we swam, played, and got into a lot of trouble, of course.”

He finished his primary school career at Laerskool Randhart and matriculated at Helpmekaar College.

People who give him a lot of guidance are his parents, his coach and his training partners.

“They all guide me to be a better person and athlete, so they all inspire me.”

When not running, he enjoys playing games, watching movies and spending quality time with his family and friends.

His motto and advice to others: “My best is always good enough. If you gave it your all, in all aspects of life, no matter the result, it is good enough.”