Maiden medal for athlete development programme
The Elite Athlete Development Programme celebrated its maiden Olympic medal last week.
TRIATHLETE and Elite Athlete Development Programme (EADP) member, Henri Schoeman’s bronze medal in the Men’s Triathlon at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday comes as the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sport and Recreation backed programme’s first ever Olympic medal.
Alongside athletes such as 200m sprinter Anaso Jobodwana, swimmers Myles Brown, Matthew Meyer and Calvyn Justus, sprint canoeist Bridgitte Hartley, open water swimmers Chad Ho and Michelle Weber and cross country mountain biker Alan Hatherly, Schoeman has flown both the programme’s and nation’s flag high at the Brazilian showpiece.
“I have no words, there are no words to describe how excited I am. When I was crossing that line, I was just full of emotions and I’m just really happy that I made everyone back home in South Africa proud,” Schoeman said.
Despite a difficult final week’s preparations, Schoeman blazed his way to third place in the testing swim-cycle-run event behind British brothers, Alistair and Jonny Brownlee and ahead of his rampant Team South Africa team mate, Richard Murray.
“This is my first international triathlon medal and for it to happen here at the Olympics – I’m just ecstatic; it’s amazing! I have loved racing and competing in sport since I can remember. Competing at the Olympics has been one of my biggest dreams,” said Schoeman.
