A world of athletics awaits 14-year-old Rinelda van der Linde, a Hoërskool Pietersburg (PHS) learner who has been selected to participate in the Split Seconds Elite Athletics Tour to Europe later this year thanks to her shot put and discus talents, and sponsors like House of Asante Spa.
Rinelda started doing shot put when she was nine years old and discus when she was 10 years old. Through the years she had various successes in these two items and this year she set a new record for discus u.15 with a distance of 32,78 metres during the Janus Robberts Championship. She set her personal best at an athletics meet at Oos Moot in Pretoria in shot put when she reached a distance of 14,18 metres.
She was one of the Top 10 athletes from PHS to participate in the Tuks Top 10 meet where she received gold medals for both discus – with a new personal best of 38,72 metres – and shot put – 12,40 metres.
In February she set two new records and achieved gold in both discus, 32,38 metres and shot put, 12,21 metres during an athletics meet at Ben Vorster High School in Tzaneen.
It was therefore no surprise, albeit an honour, to be invited as a participant of the international development athletics tour. According to Michael Beyneveldt, Chief Operating Officer of Vision Sport Mauritius, only a few athletes have been given this unique opportunity after being identified by a panel of athlete specific selectors.
During her time in Europe she will undergo professional coaching by some of the best coaches in the world. The team will also take part in three athletics meets. They will also visit two Diamond League International Athletics meetings in Paris and Lausanne.
According to Rinelda this is an opportunity of a lifetime for her, however, she will be unable to make her dreams come true without sponsorship as the cost of the tour is just under R40 000.
Matlakala Bopape, owner of House of Asante Spa, decided to step in and sponsor her with R2 000. “As we are also in the healthy living sector, we wanted to encourage this passion for exercise Rinelda has and are very proud to assist her,” Bopape said.
Rinelda was over the moon with the sponsorship. “Thanks you so much for helping to make this opportunity a reality, for making my dream of exploring and gaining more vision in sports come true!” she said.
Story and photo: KAREN VENTER
>>karen@observer.co.za
