All-rounder aims for global modelling title

For local learner Freddy Tshivhengwa the year holds great promise as he is about to represent South Africa at the Little Miss and Mister Galaxy 2017 pageant that will be held in Bulgaria from 14 to 21 March.
Freddy, a Grade 10 learner at PEPPS Polokwane College, was crowned Little Mister Galaxy South Africa at a pageant held in Tzaneen in July last year. In Bulgaria he will compete against national title holders from African and European countries for the coveted title of Mister Galaxy 2017.
“I am happy to have won the national title. I never thought I would win. It means such a lot to me. It was not an easy pageant. Good models from all over country had entered and I am glad to have won the crown,” Freddy remarked.
His excitement goes beyond the actual pageant as he will be travelling by plane for the first time. “These are the things that I have always dreamed of and I am happy that I will be living that dream. I have never been abroad before. I once said to myself that I want to go there on a mission and this is the right time. I think this trip will give me a different perspective on life and also an opportunity to learn from the other models I will be competing against,” Freddy said.
He started modelling at the age of seven together with his younger sister, Phindulokhwetha who has won numerous local pageants. “I developed an immense passion for modelling after I saw my little sister winning every pageant on offer. She has been inspiration to me. She did it all. Last year she won the u.13 category of the Miss Polokwane Show pageant and that inspired me. I told her then that one day I will win a major title and I am glad to live up to that promise,” Freddy said.
Among Freddy’s other modelling achievements are winning the Mr Ultimate Face of Limpopo in 2015 as well as the Mr Limpopo Toyota and Mr Rand Show Gauteng, both last year.
While winning an international title is certainly an immediate goal this all-rounder has a number of other plans up his sleeve too. As a first team soccer player he has helped the school win local matches and tournaments. He was recently selected by scouts from the Premier Soccer League (PSL) Club, Bidvest Wits to join their youth academy in March after they saw him at the Tlou Segolela Soccer Tournament in Moletjie last year.
“I was lucky because I was not supposed to be at the tournament.
A friend of mine invited me and
I was bit reluctant, but he pushed me to come and play for his team and I obliged. Wits is a big team in South Africa. They have won lots of trophies in the PSL and they have a good coach in Gavin Hunt. I am looking forward to join the academy,” Freddy said.
He aspires to become an architect. “That is my future profession and career. I love fashion but I have enthusiasm for both the arts and the sciences. I want to design a soccer stadium and a hotel one day,” Freddy said.
As model and soccer player Freddy says he would love to meet Portugal Captain and Real Madrid winger Christiano Ronaldo and Spanish Football Captain Sergio Ramos. “These are the two legends of the game. They have won trophies for themselves, their national teams and clubs. I love the fact that both of them are icons in their own right and they believe in themselves and they always want to achieve and that is something I want to do,” he concluded.

Story and photo: Herbert Rachuene
>>herbert@mailbox.co.za