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Living Legend
Swimming for the Princess
If you followed triathlon in South Africa in the 90s and into the 2000s , you definitely would have spotted Dominique Donner-Rodd . Not only was she was one of the leading female triathletes in the country , but her stunning looks also saw her grace many magazine covers . Today she is retired from competitive triathlon , but is still involved in sport as a swimming coach as well as Project Manager for the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation in South Africa , which will see her taking on another big swimming challenge this February . – BY RACHEL PIENAAR
Last year at the a ’ Quelle Midmar Mile event in KwaZulu- Natal , a group of 20 swimmers pledged to swim eight miles each to raise awareness and funds for the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation . Created by former South African Olympic swimmer and now Princess , Charlene Wittstock , the Foundation works to promote water safety and drowningprevention education for children and their families , because drowning is a leading cause of unnatural deaths in children . One of the swimmers in the group was former SA triathlon champion Dominique Donner-Rodd , who has been friends with the Princess since 1996 and now heads up the South African chapter of her foundation , based in Ballito in KZN . colours in swimming , biathlon , life-saving , netball and squash , and went on to earn national junior colours in biathlon and swimming . Having already been introduced to multisport through biathlon , her next step was into the world of triathlon , but it was not the most auspicious start . “ My triathlon career started in 1989 at the Constantia Health and Racquet Club with a sprint distance race consisting of a 100m pool swim , 20km bike and 5km run , and I was racing on a borrowed bike . I didn ’ t have a clue how the gears worked , and as a result had to walk up all the hills ! I finished fourth-last overall , but I was hooked . My first inter-provincials were in Port Elizabeth in 1990 and I won the South African Junior title , then earned my first Protea colours for triathlon in 1992 .”
That same year saw South African athletes allowed to compete on the world stage again following the end of the Apartheid era and removal of the sporting embargo against the country , and Dominique was selected as part of South Africa ’ s first team to go to the Triathlon World Champs , held in Canada . “ It was my first taste of international competition and I was totally overwhelmed ! I exited the swim in the top three , but was only 20 th on the bike after transition ! I was more like a spectator , in awe of the other athletes , and I finished 50 th that day !”
As a former competitive swimmer , a swim coach and a mother , Dominique is passionate about this cause , and says “ I will be swimming eight miles again this year , along with 27 other amazing swimmers who will each be raising funds for the Foundation to continue its mission of promoting and providing water safety education and learn-to-swim opportunities for the children of South Africa . The Foundation is honoured and privileged to be a beneficiary of the 2017 a ’ Quelle Midmar 8 Mile Charity Club once again , and the money raised will be used to fund our ongoing learn-to-swim programmes . I ’ m really looking forward to the challenge , which I have trained hard for .”
SPORTING STAR
Growing up in Cape Town , Dominique showed great sporting ability from a young age . While at school she earned provincial
Images : Courtesy Dominique Donner-Rodd
22 ISSUE 91 FEBRUARY 2017 / www . modernathlete . co . za