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Then and now – an (ex) athlete’s perspective

Then and now – an (ex) athlete’s perspective. Personal career – “then” Canoeing. SA canoeing team 1981-1989 1 st time 19 years old, retired 27 years old Won most races in SA Won longest 1 stage race 205km non-stop with Tim Cornish in 17h20min (UK)

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Then and now – an (ex) athlete’s perspective

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  1. Then and now – an (ex) athlete’s perspective

  2. Personal career – “then”Canoeing • SA canoeing team 1981-1989 • 1st time 19 years old, retired 27 years old • Won most races in SA • Won longest 1 stage race 205km non-stop with Tim Cornish in 17h20min (UK) • Hold record for second longest race in the world on the Murray river in Australia (1988) • 2nd in longest race in the word in Sweden/Finland • Won Sella in Spain – biggest number of entries in the world • Won all SA events in all distances at least once (500m sprint – 120km marathon)

  3. Support during career • Parents • International Tours – plane tickets by federation (SACF) • Minor equipment sponsor • Studied while doing sport (UP sports bursary) • Trained very hard – no expert coaching *Observation during my time: “pockets” of excellence naturally develop where two or three very good athletes train together and where there is a good coach. * International achievements are quite meaningless in current context • Non Olympic events and distances • Did not compete once internationally in Olympic division Sprint Canoeing

  4. Current involvement • Sport psychologist • Manager of SA canoeing team • Mentor for Macsteel Maestros (athlete development programme)

  5. From 1992 – 2007? • At 1992 Olympics SA team struggled to make semi-finals. Best SA times 1:50 for 500m and 3:50 for 1000m • 1995 – 2000 good improvement, 1:45 for 500m and 3:40 for 1000m • 2007 Qualified 10 paddlers for Beijing. Times 1.38 for 500m and 3:28 for 1000m • Regular A finals at World cups and World Champs • Medal at World cup 2007

  6. Canoeing SA times improvement in 1000m from 1992 - 2007 Getting back into international sprint Canoeing 3: 40 psychological barrier Michael Mbanjwa 3:41 1000m Michael Mbanjwa wins Duzi 2008 1992: struggled to make semi-finals “We can’t compete they are on drugs” 2004 Olympics: 1 paddler qualified 10 paddlers qualified for Beijing Shaun Rubenstein 3:28 1000m 2007

  7. What made the difference?1992 – 2007/8 • Mind-shift from SA context to international context • Self belief “we can’t compete; they are on drugs” to “we can be up there with the best” • Specialised training and focus (7 years sprint “now” compared to 6 weeks sprints “then”) • Expert coaching (Nandor Almasi since 1992) • Access and exposure to sport sciences (strength and conditioning, dietician, psychologist etc) • Financial back-up (Shaun Rubenstein vs Michael Mbanjwa)

  8. What can province do?Critical issues – some suggestions • Projects • Support natural pockets of excellence (e.g. Benoni) • Adopt/support existing projects (e.g. Soweto canoe and recreation club) • Infrastructure • Maintain and provide access to training facilities – invest in fixed assets • Water problem: Roodeplaat hyacinths, access to and security of dams and river pollution • Identify open spaces and convert to basic sporting facilities

  9. What can the province do? • Services • Access to scientific services • Sponsor sport scientific research (e.g. ISR @ UP) • Facilitate cooperation between academic/scientific institutions, federations and athletes • People • Invest in coaches • Elevate status of coaches – change culture of scapegoating coaches. Coaching is/should be much more than being a technical expert • Assist with upgrading skills -Clinics and training • “Hero-ize” achievers (e.g. Michael Mbanjwa, Duncan Mahlangu etc) • Adopt an athlete to act as provincial ambassadors for sport

  10. Things that have been bothering me • Why are there so little support for and so few black women in sport? • How do we deal with the problem of pressure on young male athletes to support their families?

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