WALK THIS WAY walk this way by ANEL OOSTHUIZEN
Choosing Change
When I first thought of writing this column , I had all the words in the world to say it right , but sitting in front of my laptop and trying to put it all into words has ultimately left me speechless . So , I thought , let ’ s start this column the good old-fashioned way , by sharing with you one of my favourite quotes the past month : “ When in doubt , choose change .”
A Heartfelt Thank You !
The support I have experienced over the last 15 years from various role players in my sport career has had a big impact on my life , with a lot of lessons learnt and so many great friends made . I have also experienced the incredible support from the race walking community , which has always had my back , no matter what , and for that I will forever be thankful .
Images : Roger Sedres / ImageSA & courtesy Anel Oosthuizen
15
years ... That ’ s 180 months , 782 weeks or 5475 days . And what a roller coaster ride those 15 of the ( almost ) 26 years of my life have been , including travelling to 18 countries as I have been on the move to accomplish the goals I set for myself in race walking . From winning my first walking race in my very oversized Absa-sponsored T-shirt , to accomplishing goals like qualifying for the Olympic Games , breaking national records and getting my first sponsorship from Skechers , I get a feeling of overwhelming gratitude towards a sport that has brought me so many opportunities in life .
From the experiences and lessons , the muscle aches , the tired legs after a third session of the day , the terrible tan lines , the double tying shoelace ritual , the laser focus on race day , to the lap-counting and unforgettable finish line crossings . The upbeat songs during warm-up , and the happy birthday singing at the start line of a National Championships on my 22 nd birthday .
The terrible sleeping positions on the plane and jet-lag , but also the Haagen-Dazs ice cream in the middle of Shanghai , Segway rides in Rome , the first experience of snow in Slovakia , mountain skiing just before qualifying for Olympics , strange water soups in China , shopping sprees in Taipei and exploring Oregon in the USA .
From the flight delays in Hong Kong and studying at various airports , to hundreds of different currency collections , and special passport stamps . From missing home , and coming home after a month overseas , to that feeling of knowing you ’ ve made memories to last you a lifetime .
Therefore , just writing this out for the first time feels strange , but my decision to call time on my race walking career has been a thought I have been playing with for quite some time now . Lockdown this past year has brought so much clarity to me regarding that decision , and to be honest , I wouldn ’ t want to change the way 2020 has made me look at things in a different way .
A special mention must go to my family , who have sacrificed so much over the past 15 years to support my dreams , but they have also celebrated with me when I have accomplished my goals . I also treasure the fact that even though those goals have now changed , their amazing love and support remains the same .
Fresh Outlook
Thus far , 2021 has been a year of new beginnings for me . So much in my life has changed , and with that the way I see a lot of things . I feel I have become my own person more than ever before , helping me to make decisions that have changed my life , and what I want to do . Moving onto a new chapter in my sports career has been a big part of that . I have had so much fun and made so many memories in race walking , but moving onto something different , new and challenging has been so exciting !
After making the decision to retire from race walking and try something new , I sent an email to Skechers , the sponsor that is always there for me . After having a chat with them , they left me completely speechless by pledging their ongoing support towards me , regardless of the fact that I am changing sporting careers . This is something that rarely happens , and thus I feel like I have to mention this , and thank Skechers .
I believe that life ’ s purpose is to be happy , and to enjoy what I do in every aspect of my life . The past few months I have experienced a new kind of freedom , which I can only explain as a huge , exhilarating new adventure . And with this new adventure , a lot of things have just fallen into place , which has been so heartwarming and exciting for me to experience . No doubt this new journey will bring its fair share of trial and error , but I am excited to try out something new and continue with this new journey of getting to know myself all over again , while testing my boundaries in a new discipline !
The Right Choice
You only have one life , and you need to have the courage to live it the way you want to . Here ’ s to choosing change , and choosing what makes you happy .
About the Author
Race Walker Anel Oosthuizen is a multiple SA Champion and Record Holder , and represented SA in the women ’ s 20km at the 2016 Rio Olympics .
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