JOBURG – St John’s College old boy and former University of Johannesburg student Chris Froome shot to international fame when he won this year’s Tour de France.
Froome’s former teachers sang his praises and shared a few memories of the young cycling champion, who matriculated in 2003.
The school’s head of sport, Alan Lion-Cachet, said Froome had been involved in the life of the school during his time there. “He was always positive about life, and started a cycling club that met twice a week. He always had a big smile on his face,” he said.
One of Froome’s English teachers, Lee Mattiuzzo, said what he liked about Froome was that he didn’t appear to have changed. “The polite, humble person you see interviewed on TV is the same polite, humble pupil I had in my class back then,” he said.
Mattiuzzo said he remembered Froome’s friendly nature, a quality that made him popular with his peers.
“He was quiet in class, although quick to join in any laughter that some class prank may have caused,” he said.
A diligent worker, Froome submitted his homework timeously, and although he sat at the back of the class and was “a keen observer” of classroom mischief, “he never got up to nonsense himself”.
Froome was a Nash House boarder, and even then showed dedication to his sport.
“I remember him telling me that he would get up early in the morning to get on his bike, go for a training ride, and be back in time to shower and change for a 7.30am line-up,” said Mattiuzzo.
Froome also had a set of bicycle rollers in his room, for use as part of his training programme.
“He mentioned the possibility of turning professional one day, and I thought that, if we were lucky, we might get a glimpse of him on TV as he took part in some overseas race. I never expected to see him win in the yellow jersey. That was really amazing for all of us here,” he said.
When asked if he had any funny anecdotes about Froome, Mattiuzzo said a colleague had mentioned how Froome used to visit the boarding house in which she lived and offer to work on her bicycle.
“He had a crush on one of the sixth form girls in the boarding house, and this gave him the opportunity to be noticed by her,” he said.
In celebration of Froome’s win, the school requested pupils to bring in old bicycles they have outgrown or their families wish to get rid of, to be donated to children in need. The pupils also wore yellow for a tribute photograph, which was sent to Froome as an expression of support and pride in his achievement.
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