Sibusiso Dlamini and Siya Nkonyane are gearing up to deliver the strongest performances of their careers when they represent South Africa at the PUMA HYROX World Championships in Sweden this June.

The duo, from Dawn Park, qualified for the global showpiece scheduled for June 18 to 21 at Strawberry Arena in Stockholm, after competing at HYROX Johannesburg at Nasrec Expo Centre last year. They finished sixth overall and first in the men’s 25 to 29 category after completing the event in 01:05:27.

“Our primary goal is to deliver the strongest performance we possibly can on the day. We are going to the world championships with confidence and belief in our ability, and that means aiming as high as possible. A podium finish would be an incredible achievement, and it is something we are working towards,” said Dlamini.

“At the same time, we understand the level of competition at the world championships. Our focus is on executing our race plan, pushing for a personal best, and representing South Africa with pride. If we do that, we believe a strong result will follow,” he added.

Nkonyane said it was an honour to represent the country, adding that this means ‘everything to us, both personally and as athletes.’

“It is a moment of great pride and gratitude, knowing that our journey from limited resources to competing among the best in the world has led to this opportunity. It reminds us that where you come from does not limit where you can go.

“As athletes, it is an honour and a responsibility. We are carrying not just our own dreams, but the hopes of our families, our community, and our country.

“Competing in Sweden against the world’s best motivates us to push even harder. We will represent the country with discipline, resilience, and pride, and we’ll also show that our athletes belong on the biggest global stages.”

The two athletes are asking the community to help them get to Sweden. They need around R55 000 to cover, among others, flight tickets, accommodation, competition fees, and food.

“Our journey was built on discipline, resilience, and self-belief. All our training and competition costs to date have been self-funded, often under challenging circumstances.

“Despite limited resources, we persevered, and our commitment paid off with a qualification to compete on the world stage against elite athletes from over 80 nations,” said Dlamini.

To help them achieve their goal, donations can be made to:

• Account number: 51026056161
• Bank: TymeBank
• Reference: PT Moloi

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