main focus . “ My dad was always a sports person , so I grew up in a sporting environment and had love for sport from an early age ,” explains Henri . He excelled in swimming , as did his brother Riaan ( who won a bronze medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi , India ), but at age 16 he decided to spread his wings in the world of triathlon , and success came early as he won the SA Under-19 title in consecutive years . “ During 2007 I began doing really well in triathlon events . It was then that I felt this was the path that would take me further than swimming and enable me to reach my dream of becoming an Olympian ,” says Henri .
However , in 2009 he suffered stress fractures in his shins , followed by a motorbike accident in 2011 , which kept him out of competition for much of those years . Fortunately he used those years to build his leg strength , and by 2013 he was ready to take the world on . He turned pro when he got his first start in an ITU World Series event , but again it wasn ’ t smooth sailing . “ I had a disappointing result in my first race in San Diego and it was a tough pill to swallow ,” says Henri . Also , his parents had taken out a loan to get him there , so he felt added pressure to do well . His next event was in Yokohama , Japan , and this time he had a much better result . “ Japan went a lot better than San Diego and I crossed the line in sixth place . That ’ s when I knew I had what it takes to succeed , and I followed that up with a fourth-place finish in Austria .
Since then Henri has collected numerous podium and top positions on the circuit , and he loves being a pro triathlete , but he adds that it is not an easy life . “ It may seem glamorous and exciting , but with success also comes struggle . Travelling
the world and visiting exciting locations is one of the great things of this job , but travelling is often not a smooth experience , and along with travelling comes stress and fatigue . Also , being in a different country eight or nine times a year isn ’ t easy , especially when travel expenses are coming out of your own pocket ! When I was the new guy on the circuit , my financial sponsors were few and far between , and I relied solely on prize money to get me to the next race . But the most important thing was that I was doing what I love , and that is still the case today .”
MAGICAL MEMORIES
When asked to look back on the highlights of his career thus far , Henri starts all the way back with that second race in Yokohama in 2013 . “ That race had the potential to make or break me as a triathlete on the World Circuit . Then , the 2013 Kitzbuehel WTS is another one I will never forget . I loved the unique toughness of climbing up the Kitzbueler Horn during the bike leg and then running further up the mountain to the finish . I like challenging courses and that is still known as the hardest triathlon in the world ,” he says . “ The 2014 race in Tongyeong was my
Chasing the medals in Rio
first World Cup win , after a very tough year filled with injuries and disappointment , and it gave me great confidence in myself and my abilities . And the Hamburg WTS race is one of my favourites . The race draws thousands of spectators and the vibe and atmosphere make the race really fast and exciting .
Outside of triathlon , Henri says he still wants to finish his marketing studies , which he put on hold while working towards getting to Rio . “ I postponed finishing my studies to focus on training , but I do plan on finishing my studies this year . I am also very passionate about wildlife and I want to help create a movement in wildlife conservation to end the poaching in South Africa . I want to create awareness around our invaluable wildlife .” But for now his focus will remain on triathlon , and he says he wants to achieve more success . “ I ’ m still hungry for more ! I want to continue with the World Series and perform well there , and I would like to improve my running to be able to compete with the best in the world . I have my sights set on the Commonwealth Games in 2018 and the Olympics in 2020 ,” says Henri . As they say , watch this space …
Elation at finishing on the Olympic podium
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