Eight local athletes earn SA colours as fundraising race begins
The team has launched a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy and are calling on the Upper Highway community to help them get to Beijing.
FOR the first time South Africa will send a national team to compete on the international Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) circuit, and leading the charge is a group of dedicated athletes from Winston Park’s Iron Movement gym.
The Highway-based athletes secured their places at the OCR World Championships, which will take place in Beijing, China, from September 3-6, marking a historic milestone for the fast-growing sport and South African athletics.
The road to this national legacy began recently. The athletes who previously qualified at their provincial event alongside coach and owner of Iron Movement, Rhain Hoskins, traveled from KZN to Johannesburg.
When the race day arrived on a Saturday, athletes were released in batches of two at strict two-minute intervals.
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“The 3km course was relentless. It combined rough, winding dirt trails with 15 technical obstacles and heavy weighted carries. Runners navigated uneven single tracks, ducked under low tree branches, and leapt across narrow streams,” said the coach.
Hoskins pointed out that the ultimate test was a grueling uphill power-run through potholed veld alongside the N1 highway.
“The weekend culminated in an intimate gala dinner and awards ceremony, where the historic announcement was made. Eight Iron Movement athletes had successfully qualified to represent South Africa in Beijing.”
While the team has secured their official event registration, Hoskins admitted that the hardest work has just begun.
“The athletes are already diversifying their training programmes to simulate the tough conditions they will face in China.”
However, their biggest obstacle isn’t physical, it’s financial.
Because OCR is still a developing sport in SA, the coach said the inaugural international trip is entirely self-funded. Each athlete must personally raise between R40 000 and R50 000 to cover international flights, accommodation, team kits, and race entries.
“Our athletes earned their spots through pure determination, hard work and community support. Now, we need our community to help us take that final step onto the world stage.”
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