Tumi Ramokgopa wants to see herself big. Coming from an athlete who stands just 163cm tall, it’ s an intriguing statement. But it also offers a glimpse into the lofty ambitions driving one of South Africa’ s brightest young talents.
The 18-year-old, who is set to compete in both the 100m hurdles and 400m hurdles, is one of South Africa’ s top medal prospects heading into the World Athletics U20 Championships taking place in Eugene, Oregon in the USA from 5-9 August.
And what’ s refreshing about her approach is that she doesn’ t hold back on spelling out her ambitions.
“ Let me just say, my dream is to come back with two gold medals. Another dream is to come back with medals. I want more than one. I know that I will have worked so hard to actually achieve those medals,” she explained just before her departure to the USA.
While grateful for the boost of confidence, the realistic Pretoria teen is well aware that numbers mean very little once she’ s on the Oregon track.
“ Everything is just said on the track rather than rankings, and we ' ll see what happens,” she reckoned.“ Rankings don ' t actually say anything to me – anything can change.”
Just the fact that she’ s doubling up in the hurdles events at these championships shows the TUKS psychology student is up for a challenge.
“ I ' ve always been like that as a little girl,” she explained.“ I mean, I had goals. I wanted to see myself big, and that ' s actually what I ' m doing. And I ' ve always known that being in certain positions, you just have to be tough. Mentally, physically, your body has to be ready for that as well.
“ So as a young girl, I ' ve always wanted to stand proud for South Africa … And I know it doesn ' t come easy. So, I just grew into the sport, and growing into the sport just taught me so much about being tough, mostly, challenging yourself.”
The last time Ramokgopa competed at the World Athletics U20 Championships it was as a 16-year-old, and she was disappointed to only progress as far as the semi-finals in the 400m hurdles.
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“ It ' s more about enjoying. I think once you enjoy it, you will just automatically get into your rhythm and just find so much and explore so much about yourself. It ' s like you’ re opening something new in your life.”
That enjoyment also stems from gratitude for the support she’ s had along the way. Ramokgopa points to her family as her inspiration, having made numerous sacrifices to make her track career possible. She also explained that, due to financial constraints, her mother didn’ t have the opportunities she now enjoys but could have had a successful athletics career herself. That adds another layer of motivation.
“ I’ m doing something that she couldn ' t do. I know that … she would have taken it further. She would have done so much. So, just doing that, it ' s like I ' m doing it for her, mostly. I ' m doing something she couldn ' t do. But there are challenges, there is money needed, but they always make a plan for me.”
The ultimate goal for Ramokgopa is reaching the Olympic Games, with LA2028 firmly in her sights. But for now, Eugene is the main target and she’ s giving it everything, also hoping to provide inspiration to other junior athletes.
“ I ' ve had a lot of people saying that I shouldn ' t double, it ' s going to hurt me, it ' s not going to be good, but... that ' s them. I am saying I am going to do it, fearlessly so. I won ' t even ask for anyone ' s opinion. I ' ve got my coach, I ' ve got my parents, I ' ve got God, there ' s no one else I need...
“ In Eugene, I ' m going big or I ' m going home. I ' m going big! And I ' m going to come back home with something!”
“ Even if it ' s a gold and a silver, or gold and a bronze, but there has to be a gold somewhere … If it ' s two golds, then I did the impossible. I mean, people think it is impossible, but it ' s impossible until it ' s done … If I die, I die. If I don ' t stand up, I don ' t stand up. It ' ll be worth it at the end.”
While Ramokgopa’ s determination is admirable, she’ s produced plenty of performances to back up that target, having this year become the youngest South African woman to break the 13-second barrier in the 100m hurdles, clocking 12.93 at the SA Junior Athletics Championships. That time makes her second fastest in the world so far this year for juniors. She’ s also the third-fastest junior in the world this year in the 400m hurdles after running 56.05 at the same meet – although she ran a 55.90 last year.
“ I wasn ' t feeling good, my body wasn ' t good, nothing was good at all. But after that, my mindset just shifted. It gave me so much confidence … I learned how my body would react in certain positions, and I know how to deal with it right now.
“ And it just taught me so much about myself that I am capable of putting myself on a world stage, I am capable of competing against the best people in the world because I ' m one of them as well.
“ Now I am heading in fearlessly, so I ' m not nervous anymore.”
Speaking about that sub-13-second time, Ramokgopa admitted:“ That was the shock of my life. I think as much as everyone was shocked, my coach [ George Bradley ] was shocked as well. I honestly shocked myself. |
While she always tries to have fun on the track, Ramokgopa is also known for her toughness – earning her the nickname Battle Braids. Yet for all her grit, she’ s never been one to hide her emotions, something she says is simply part of who she is. |
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" And I said that this is just me putting my name in the history books, this is me writing my own story as well but opening a path for the younger generations.” |
“ I make sure that I live in the moment, I express all my feelings. I will not be shy of that. It ' s just how I ' m feeling. People do think I ' m dramatic, but it ' s just how I am, you know?” she explained with a laugh. |
www. modernathlete. co. za |
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