Triathlon athlete does it for the animals

Tjaart van der Walt (32) successfully completed the Ironman 70.3 in Durban and raised R2 000 for the RandWest SPCA.

Not only did Tjaart complete the Ironman, but he also finished with an overall improvement of nine minutes on his time from last year’s competition.

Even though it was a huge challenge for him, Tjaart explained it was an unbelievable experience to run in club colours while also being able to give back to the community.

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The competition consisted of a 1.9km swim, 90km cycle and 21.1km run.

“I did my best during the race and tried to keep my focus on the main goal; not just to reach the finish line but to spread awareness and raise funds for the SPCA,” he expressed.

He explained he is utterly thankful and proud of his achievement.

“Every moment on the route, I was reminded that I am not doing this for myself. The results were only the cherry on top of the cake.”

He found the training before the competition to be very challenging, especially since he had to also focus on his work. Emotionally, it was also tense for Tjaart since he wanted to achieve success on the SPCA’s behalf.

He felt the fundraiser was a huge success since the reaction from the community was great.

He explained that residents not only donated, but also supported the message of animal rights and the importance of the SPCA.

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“We not only raised funds, we touched hearts,” he stated.

“During this experience, I learnt that sport is a powerful way to help others. I also realised how important support is from people like club members, friends, and even strangers. You are never alone in a race like this,” he further noted.

He is most proud about doing something he thinks is much bigger than himself. He is proud of having the opportunity to be a voice for the animals while also testing his physical capabilities.

His future goals are to continue participating in competitions like these as well as inspire other athletes to use their sporting abilities to give back to their communities.

Furthermore, Tjaart offered a word of advice to other athletes who dream of achieving their goals.

“Start with a goal and surround yourself with people who support you. I could never have done it without the guidance of my coach, Erich Marnewick and the support of our club, Swim Bike Run 365, and sponsors.

“They helped me not only to be physically ready, but also to stay focused on the bigger picture and to give something back through sport,” he concluded.

The SPCA commented with a grateful response.

Chairperson Brenda Eloff expressed, “Wow! It takes an exceptional person to do something so big, not only for himself but for others as well. Tjaart, we are so proud of you, and thank you so much for agreeing to do this for the SPCA.”