Young athlete dreams of racing in the Olympics

What started as something at school just for fun has turned into a true passion and career aspirations for Germiston Callies Harriers athlete Jonathan de Klerk (18).

“Though I do a little bit of long jump and 200m sprinting my main discipline is the 100m sprint,” said de Klerk, during a training session with Stephané Kotzé at Hoërskool Goudrif on Thursday.

“Long jump is just for fun, though I am getting a bit more competitive in that discipline.”

De Klerk met Kotzé at the Germiston Stadium almost by accident.

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“My mom, Kathy, took me to the stadium to practise long jump when I was competing in it for school,” he explained.

“I wasn’t that good at it and was mainly doing it for fun.

“Coach saw me, came and spoke to us and offered to train me.”

It was Kotzé who suggested that de Klerk try sprinting.

“I said I would give it a try,” he said with a laugh.

De Klerk explained that he has always enjoyed sport and being active, but has grown to love running and is now dedicated to the discipline.

“I just started enjoying it more and more,” he said.

“And as I got better at it I started enjoying it even more.”

His dad, Pierre, commented that he had always been good at running and winning running races when he was a ‘little tot’ in pre-school.

De Klerk said he gets tunnel vision when racing.

“It is difficult to describe,” he said.

“I feel like I am in a different world, I cannot see anything or hear anything except the wind.

“It is intense, but relaxing all at the same time.”

To focus before a race, de Klerk likes to go through everything he has to do in the race.

He explained that sometimes you can forget what you need to do when the adrenaline kicks in.

“I talk to myself and focus on what to do,” he said.

“My dream is to go to the Olympics.”

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This means a lot of dedication, not just in training which he does every day except Sundays, but also in his diet.

“Yeah, no Coca-Cola in my diet,” he joked.

De Klerk is able to focus on his studies and athletics aspiration by splitting his Cambridge exams over two years, which his parents fully support.

Kotzé described de Klerk as the surprise of the season as he has clawed his way back after having a cyst removed from a bone in his foot.

“I have only really been back at training since September 2018,” said de Klerk.

To relax, de Klerk likes to play video games, as it is something completely different and takes his mind off things.

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Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor) germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor) leighh@caxton.co.za.

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