Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 120, July 2019 | Page 63

MULTISPORT
will determine how far I go in the sport. I know where I want to go, and I know what
I need to do to get there.
MA: You’ve won the XTERRA Lite title in Grabouw the past three years, so
do you see yourself doing more off-road triathlons, or is the road your focus?
JR: I really enjoy the off-road, but I’ve fallen in love with on-road, and the sheer
brutality of it. XTERRA racing is also hard, so I’m not taking anything away from
the athletes who compete off-road, but on the road, if you are just one percent off
your game, you come in fifth in a race. But that brutality really draws me in. One
day I will give off-road a good go, because I love the scenery, the crowds and the
family feeling of XTERRA, but right now my passion is on road sprint and Olympic
distance events.
MA: So tell me more about the upcoming World Championships in
Switzerland.
JR: South Africa has been allocated three slots in the junior category, but luckily
racing, and I’m giving it a full go to try make it in the sport. Of course, there is
always that question whether I should go to university. What am I going to do if
something happens and I’m stuck? But I’ve always believed that a plan B often
allows an easy option out, and I really want this. Making it as a professional in
triathlon is very, very hard, especially trying to get sponsorships and paying for
the lifestyle, but I believe this is what I feel I’ve been put on this earth to do. It is
tough, but you have to find a way, and luckily I have found a bit of support from a
few sponsors, specifically Entsika, who are helping me to get over to Europe, and
Under Armour, who play a major role in my success.
MA: Besides sponsor support, I can see that your parents are also giving
you all their support.
JR: I really want to thank my parents here, because when I was 14 they moved
the family from Port Elizabeth to Stellenbosch purely because I wanted to pursue
the sport, because this is a hub for sprint distance triathlon. They’re amazingly
supportive of my triathlon dream, and of everything I do, but if I had to say
tomorrow I want to drop out of triathlon, that would also be fine. They’ve always
supported and encouraged me, but never pushed me, and I think that’s been a big
part of my success in the sport.
I didn’t have to qualify, because I earned an automatic slot by winning Africa
Champs. The other guys are still dicing for the remaining two slots. So I’m heading
to Europe for just short of three months and I’ll race a few Junior European Cups
and the Hamburg Triathlon, which is an event that Triathlon South Africa has
chosen for us to do. Then I’ll head to Switzerland to prepare for the World Champs,
and will probably do a few races there as well. I’ll be with the junior South African
team for two weeks of those three months. The rest of the time I’ll be travelling
either by myself, or linking up with other triathletes, or I’ll be with my coach in
Switzerland.
MA: Have you toured Europe and hit the tri circuit like this before?
JR: Yes, I’ve been going over to Europe since about 2014 or 2015, and I also
travelled with my dad when he was competing, so I do know the ins and outs. I still
make a lot of mistakes along the way, but that’s all part of the process of being a
pro triathlete, and I’m learning all the time.
MA: So the million dollar question is, how are feeling ahead of World
Champs?
JR: I’m definitely looking forward to it, because I’ve put so much into this, and
it’s amazing just looking back on how far I’ve already come. I was always this kid
with the dream, and now, thanks to sponsors and my parents, I’m finally able to go
chase my dreams - and I’m giving everything to it.
MA: South Africa has enjoyed great success in triathlon, most recently with
Richard Murray and Henry Schoeman doing well on the world stage. Do you
look at what these guys have achieved and think to yourself, I can do that too?
JR: Oh, yes, for sure. I’ve been in the sport for a while and have been inspired
by guys like Conrad Stoltz and Dan Hugo, and Brad Weiss, who is actually a very
good friend of mine, and we train together. He’s doing amazing things in the
sport and that inspires me every day. I’m also very close to Richard, and have
been on training camps with him, so I’ve seen how he performs, and how he
is so dedicated to his craft. And then there is Henry – third at Olympics,
Commonwealth champ, the things he’s done are incredible.
MA: You’re a strong swimmer and often come out the water with
the leaders, which obviously is a huge bonus in sprint distance
racing, but how do your bike and run legs compare?
JR: My strength is my swim, as well as my bike, but up till now I
felt I wasn’t quite there yet on the run. So this year has been about
building my run speed, and I have been able to build it to a very
good base. My 5km PB is now 15:20, which I ran at a track meet,
while my best time off the bike was 15:58 last year in Morocco
at Africa Champs. I’m looking forward to see what I can do in
Europe this season.
MA: I would assume the triathlon lifestyle requires a lot of
hard work, discipline and sacrifice. Most of your school mates
are probably now enjoying the student lifestyle at university,
whereas you are training every day, so do you ever feel that
you’re perhaps missing out a bit on that?
JR: This triathlon thing is all about sacrifice, but I think to be
successful in life you have to make sacrifices, whether that be sleep,
whether that be partying, whether that be eating, or anything else. Yes, I do
think sometimes I miss out on a lot of things, but it’s the choices I make that
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