Athletes need waves of funds to get to world champs
Durban — A KZN matric pupil and a Western Cape world champion are trying to overcome the last hurdle to their participation in the World Lifesaving Championships in Australia next month – funding.
“We have four or five athletes that have financial constraints and require additional assistance with funds. At this time, the team still needs about R225 000 to support them,” said Helen Herbert, GM of Lifesaving SA (LSA).
Samuel Booysen, 19, who won the junior beach flag event at the last championships in Italy, in 2021, is in the senior team and Dayna Deeble, 18, from Westville, made it to the juniors. The senior Proteas team has 12 members and the juniors 11.
The sport involves pool and sea events, which are derived from lifesaving activities, and were initially aimed at ensuring lifesavers’ fitness.
Herbert said Lifesaving SA received a minimal amount of funding for projects from the national Department of Sport and Culture office: R200 000 had been allocated to the tour.
“DHL is supporting the athletes with kit and clothing,” said Herbert.
She added that the cost for each athlete was dependent on their individual needs but each required about R57 000 after the LSA-funded portions were taken into consideration.
Booysen and Deeble have participated in other sport that have benefited their lifesaving.
For Booysen it’s been swimming and running.
“When I was a young swimmer, my coach introduced me to lifesaving,” said Booysen who, at the age of 17, won a senior event at the SA Championships.
For Deeble it’s been gymnastics, ballet, hockey and water polo.
“Gymnastics gave me perseverance and determination. Ballet gave me discipline and diligence and all my school sports teach me the importance of teamwork and unity that one needs for lifesaving.”
After being selected for the “worlds” in Italy as part of the junior team, Booysen said he spent a year training hard. On the first day of the competition he came fourth in the beach sprint event.
“I was heartbroken because I missed winning a medal.” But the next day, during the beach flag event, things looked better for him when he did well in the heats.
“I kept telling myself – I have to keep this momentum and not give up. I had a stumble at the start and was behind but I kept going.”
In the end, he won and became junior world beach flag champion.
“I am in the seniors now. I hold the title but I can’t defend it.”
As a youngster Deeble also once came in fourth.
“Her first big event was the U-9s at the Strand. She came fourth in the bodyboarding race but did not want such a ‘token’ position,” her mother Liz recalled.
Now, the budding junior team member says lifesaving is something she never gets bored of doing, or training for.
“There are so many aspects and disciplines in lifesaving that constantly need work and training and whenever I’m training for something it will always benefit lifesaving,” she said.
“The training and work load actually comfort me, whether it be running, swimming, paddling, gym or even just stretching.”
Deeble said that it had been her goal to make the national side for lifesaving since she was 13, and her coach recognised her talents.
“After being on the high-performance squad for four years I made it into the President’s team to compete at the Africa Championships.
“Although I competed very well at this competition, I didn’t really think I would be selected for World Champs because I thought a lot more work needed to be done to reach that level.
“My current coach sparked the idea just before national champs that I have a very good chance of making the Worlds team and I was quite literally speechless,” Deeble added.
Anyone who is willing to help the team reach Australia on August 22 can contact Helen Herbert at generalmanager@lifesaving.co.za
Independent on Saturday