Balancing the demands of medicine and the rigours of triathlon is no easy feat, yet Karla Grobler continues to prove that discipline and passion can carry you beyond limits.

With textbooks on one side and finish lines on the other, the University of Pretoria student is showing South Africa what it means to chase two dreams at once – and succeed in both.

Just months after storming to victory at the Triathlon South Africa (TSA) spring championships in Rynfield, Grobler powered through the field to claim the women’s standard distance crown at the SEESA Jozi Triathlon on September 27.

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“I wasn’t mentally prepared for this race. I was tired. The swim was cold, and the bike was fun. It’s a nice course. The run was good as well. I love running around the Ebotse Golf and Country Estate. The SA sprint champs were held here,” said Grobler.

Remarkably, it was only her second outing in the longer format after a victorious debut at the Joburg Ultra Triathlon a week earlier, and while she admits the juggle between medicine studies and training is demanding, she embraces the grind, using every swim, ride and run as a way to reset her mind and sharpen her focus.

“Training for me is to get my head out of studying. I go early in the morning or in the evening. When I’m tired of studying, I just train to clear my head.”

The 23-year-old only took up triathlon early last year, having trained since 2023, but in that short time, she made a big impact – thanks to relentless hard work and drawing inspiration from her idols, Lucy Charles-Barclay.

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“I did multisport from a young age, just not cycling. I started cycling at varsity, and the next thing to do was triathlon. I love the endurance of it.

“Lucy is one of the best. I like her resilience. She does with confidence, and even when she has setbacks, she puts her head down, continues with her training and pushes harder,” she said.

Ranked 22nd on the continent, Grobler began her journey in sprint triathlons, competing in events like the TinMan Series and Sun City Ultra, before stepping up to the Olympic distance at the Joburg Ultra on September 21, where she claimed the title in 02:29:18.

“Some people would say the standard distance is harder than the sprint. I like the full distance because it gives you enough time to get into rhythm and just giving it your all – unlike in the sprints where everything is flat out.”

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While her dream is to one day take part in any of the T100 Triathlon World Tour events after completing her studies, she has her sights on the Ironman.

“It would be a dream of mine to one day race in one of the T100 events. But I’m studying medicine, which is difficult. For now, the goal is to do the half ironman one day and the full distance when I’m a big girl,” Grobler said.