WESTVILLE High School’s Connor Botha will proudly represent the Durban Lifesaving Club and his country at the Lifesaving World Championships Adelaide 2018.
The determined athlete jetted off to the land down under last Thursday, via a connecting flight through Dubai, to join his fellow lifesavers for the gruelling 12-day competition. He will once again compete in the U19 category in an international event that will have 40 countries competing for the top titles.
The young lifesaver said that after his first international competition in New Zealand last year, he is less nervous and more excited to compete.
He has signed up to compete in the surf events that include a 500m surf swim, a 1km board race and the iron man, that includes board, swim and ski paddle with a run inbetween each section. He will also compete in the 200m obstacle in the still water and four relays.
To prove his dedication to the sport, he wakes up well before the crack of dawn each morning from Monday to Friday and hits the beach for a ski or board session or heads off to the Lahee Park Swimming Pool for a swim set.
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Every afternoon he completes another swim set or a gym session where he mixes up explosive weights, cardio and fitness training.
“I have put the work in, now all I need to do is deliver,” smiled Connor.
While he will be competing for the SA team, he will also have to take on those same team mates in the club events. “You race against each other at some stage and then you join together from the different clubs and compete as a team. It is a lot of fun to do both,” he said.
All this training was done while he poured over his books for his final Grade 11 exams.
His confidence is contagious and he is excited for his matric year to begin.
After the competition he will join his family for a trip to Thailand, an exciting adventure his grandparents have been rigorously saving up for.
While he is not yet sure what he will study after school, Connor is determined to compete in the Nutri-grain Ironman Series and become a vital member of the Northcliffe Surf Life Saving Club.
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