(Afrikaans en nog foto’s hieronder.)
This is a guest blog, details and more photographs below.
Bronwyn George and Johnny Persents
A one-time orphan, now brilliant athlete, supported a young man from the Durbanville Children’s Home to win a trail run this morning. Johnny Persents is an Adidas Wild Runner. He is an ace cross-country athlete, a former national champion, and he has recently finished the London Marathon in 2:18.
Johnny grew up as an orphan. He still lives in Delft where he works hard to uplift his community.
This morning he chose to support the Durbanville Children’s Home’s Trail Run at D’Aria.
One of the hopefuls who also lined up was Bronwyn George, a young athlete who is growing up in the Children’s Home.
Johnny Persents recognised the young man from a few recent press clippings and decided to test his skills.
The two took the lead and Johnny pushed the youngster hard, testing his ability to read an opponent, to read a race and to understand the mind games that makes a good athlete. So often it is not the athlete with the strongest legs who wins, but is the one with the strongest mind.
Summary? Bronwyn still has a lot to learn, and Johnny wanted the young man to understand that.
In the end he allowed Bronwyn to take the race, but at the finish Johnny’s comment to him was: “Jy weet nog nie hoe om te hardloop nie.” (You do not yet know how to run.)
This, however, is not the end of the story. Johnny has agreed to help shape the young man’s future.
At present Bronwyn receives coaching at school and from Jacques van Rensburg, the husband of Jana van Rensburg who is an assistant at the Durbanville Children’s Home. Negotiations will now begin to see whether Bronwyn can become part of a training group where he can receive support from the likes of Johhny Persents and Elana Meyer.
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Die Durbanville Kinderhuis se veldren het vanoggend by D’Aria plaasgevind.
Verskeie van die Kinderhuiskinders het deelgeneem, maar die interessantste verwikkeling was toe Johnny Persents, een van Suid-Afrika se voorste landloopatlete, die jong atleet Bronwyn George, uitgedaag het. Johnny het jare se ondervinding en sou gemaklik kon wen, maar hy het besluit om Bronwyn te toets.
Die twee het outomaties vir die res van die veld weggehardloop, maar dit was die ouer man wat die hele tyd die jong hardloper se vaardighede uitgedaag het.
Bronwyn is goed, maar het nog baie om te leer, veral as hy met die groot manne wil meeding.
Johnny het Bronwyn laat sweet, en toe laat wen, met die woorde: “Jy weet nog nie hoe om te hardloop nie.”
Tog, daar en dan, het Johnny ook beloof om te kyk of hy Bronwyn kan deel maak van ’n oefenprogram waar hy sy raad en ervaring kan deel met die jonger atleet.
Bronwyn is ’n Kinderhuiskind en hy wil baie graag ’n groot atleet word. Daar is nog ’n baie lang pad voor, maar Johnny Persents het as ’n weeskind grootgeword en hy wil nou terugploeg.
Johnny word deur Adidas geborg en is ’n Adidas Wild Runner.
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The venue at D’Aria / Die veldren het by D’Aria plaasgevind
Registration / Registrasie
Monique is a young rock climber from the Durbanville Children’s Home who took part in the National Championships earlier this year. Here she is with Jana van Rensburg who works at the Home. / Monique is ‘n jong rotsklimmer wat in die Durbanville Kinderhuis woon. Sy het onlangs aan die Nasionale Kampioenskappe deelgeneem. By haar is Jana van Rensburg, wat werk by die Kinderhuis.
The start / Die begin
The undulating course took us through the vineyards of D’Aria. / Kom ons weer eerlik, undulating is ‘n grênd woord vir op en af. Dit was ‘n mooi roete.
Beautiful scenery / Baie mooi omgewing
It’s a dog’s life / Dis ‘n hondelewe
Monique proves her worth in the land as well / Monique wys dat sy ook op die plat aarde haar vrou kan staan
Seeing the finish line / Daar is die eindstreep
Nearly there! / Amper daar!
The home straight / Die laaste paar meter
A a sponsored cooldrink / En ‘n borgskappie vir die dors
Brownyn George and Johanna Strauss, Manager: Marketing and Fund Raising at the Durbanville Children’s Home.
Bronwyn George en Johanna Strauss. Sy is die bestuurder: bemarking en fondswerwing by die Durbanville Kinderhuis.
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Text and photographs: Izak de Vries
Izak is a keen runner, and a journalist employed by LAPA Publishers and the ATKV. He runs barefoot races, including ultra marathons, to raise funds and awareness for the Durbanville Children’s Home
Teks en fotografie: Izak de Vries
Izak is ‘n kranige hardloper en ‘n joernalis wat vir LAPA Uitgewers en die ATKV werk. Hy hardloop kaalvoet, ook lang wedlope soos die Comrades, om geld in te samel vir en mense bewus te maak van die werk van die Durbanville Kinderhuis.
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