{"id":229965,"date":"2020-02-11T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-02-11T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/229965\/young-athlete-dreams-of-racing-in-the-olympics\/"},"modified":"2020-02-10T15:32:44","modified_gmt":"2020-02-10T13:32:44","slug":"young-athlete-dreams-of-racing-in-the-olympics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/sports-news\/2020\/02\/11\/young-athlete-dreams-of-racing-in-the-olympics\/","title":{"rendered":"Young athlete dreams of racing in the Olympics"},"content":{"rendered":"

What started as something at school just for fun has turned into a true passion and career aspirations for Germiston Callies Harriers athlete Jonathan de Klerk (18).<\/p>\n

\u201cThough I do a little bit of long jump and 200m sprinting my main discipline is the 100m sprint,\u201d said de Klerk, during a training session with Stephan\u00e9 Kotz\u00e9 at Ho\u00ebrskool Goudrif on Thursday.<\/p>

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\u201cLong jump is just for fun, though I am getting a bit more competitive in that discipline.\u201d<\/p>\n

De Klerk met Kotz\u00e9 at the Germiston Stadium almost by accident.<\/p>

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\u201cMy mom, Kathy, took me to the stadium to practise long jump when I was competing in it for school,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t that good at it and was mainly doing it for fun.<\/p>\n

\u201cCoach saw me, came and spoke to us and offered to train me.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was Kotz\u00e9 who suggested that de Klerk try sprinting.<\/p>\n

\u201cI said I would give it a try,\u201d he said with a laugh.<\/p>\n

De Klerk explained that he has always enjoyed sport and being active, but has grown to love running and is now dedicated to the discipline.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just started enjoying it more and more,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd as I got better at it I started enjoying it even more.\u201d<\/p>\n

His dad, Pierre, commented that he had always been good at running and winning running races when he was a \u2018little tot\u2019 in pre-school.<\/p>\n

De Klerk said he gets tunnel vision when racing.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is difficult to describe,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like I am in a different world, I cannot see anything or hear anything except the wind.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is intense, but relaxing all at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n

To focus before a race, de Klerk likes to go through everything he has to do in the race.<\/p>\n

He explained that sometimes you can forget what you need to do when the adrenaline kicks in.<\/p>\n

\u201cI talk to myself and focus on what to do,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy dream is to go to the Olympics.\u201d<\/p>\n

ALSO READ: Athletes put through their paces<\/a><\/h4>\n

This means a lot of dedication, not just in training which he does every day except Sundays, but also in his diet.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, no Coca-Cola in my diet,\u201d he joked.<\/p>\n

De Klerk is able to focus on his studies and athletics aspiration by splitting his Cambridge exams over two years, which his parents fully support.<\/p>\n

Kotz\u00e9 described de Klerk as the surprise of the season as he has clawed his way back after having a cyst removed from a bone in his foot.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have only really been back at training since September 2018,\u201d said de Klerk.<\/p>\n

To relax, de Klerk likes to play video games, as it is something completely different and takes his mind off things.<\/p>\n

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Germiston Callies Harriers athlete Jonathan de Klerk (18) wears his PUMA School of Speed medal.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hav<\/strong>e a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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