Olympians in good hands with Grace
The South Coast has its own unsung Olympic heroine.
MOST people can only dream of rubbing shoulders with South Africa’s top athletes.
For Grace Hughes of Southbroom, this is often a literal reality.
Renown for avoiding the spotlight, Grace is a physiotherapist of some repute.
That’s an understatement actually; she is known by athletes around the world and was the head physio for the South African team at the recent Rio Olympics.
Together with a team of 10 physios, she helped soothe and repair the aches and pains of top athletes like Wayde van Niekerk, Chad le Clos, Caster Semenya, Cameron van den Burgh, Akani Simbine and Jaco van Zyl, among others.
It might sound like a dream job, but the reality is that it was hard work, with the team having to look after 140 athletes across 16 sports.
Grace has worked at two Paralympics and three Commonwealth Games, having served as head physio at two of these.
“It was massive pressure, working 12 hours a day, at least.”
The role of the physio can extend beyond merely muscle and joint manipulation.
Sometimes they’re ‘extended family’, a listening ear, or even a shoulder to cry on.
“It’s important to be there for the athletes. This is their journey, for some the absolute pinnacle of their career, even if they’re nowhere near the medals.”
So yes, Grace knows a few secrets. “They do end up talking. It’s a safe environment for them.”
For example, one prominent athlete, totally gutted after not gaining a desired medal, knocked on her door at 3am, asking for a physio session.
“Normally I would say ‘go away’, but not in this instance,” she laughed.
They also get to share in their successes. “They rush into the physio rooms and show us their medals. It’s quite special,” explained Grace.
Her husband Howard Kelly joined her for the last four days. “He watched Caster run and saw the mountain biking, missed Wayde though.”
After that they enjoyed some well-deserved sight-seeing before returning home.
Grace shared some of her experiences of the Rio Olympics.
On …
Wayde van Niekerk: “His 400m record was spectacular. It’s amazing the rapport he has with his coach, 74-year-old ‘Tannie’ Ans Botha. He completely respects her. She sat with him in the ‘call room’ before his race, her influence is huge. She spoke, holding his hands, and he just listened. It’s a movie waiting to be made.”
Caster Semenya: “She has enormous presence. She’s funny, confident and interesting. I was expecting her to be more reserved. I felt she handled the media cleverly and very well. She ran so beautifully. It was fantastic. She’s very proud to be South African.”
Akani Simbine: “He ran a fifth in the 100m sprint. That’s extraordinary, in the most pressured race. He’s a name to watch.”
Usain Bolt: “I don’t normally like show-offs but he’s different. He’s actually very nice, the ultimate athlete, perfectly proportioned. Bolt has two of his own physios. Doesn’t want to wait I guess.”
Chad le Clos: “He’s a very friendly guy and live-wire sort of person, with masses of talent, despite not being too keen on the gym. He’s South Africa’s most decorated medallist – and a KwaZulu-Natal product.”
Michael Phelps: “He’s just massive, nothing intimidates him. The Americans set up their beds around the warm up pool … right next to the SA team. That was no coincidence I’d suggest. ”
Golfers: “Jaco van Zyl is such a great guy and Brandon Stone is surprisingly funny. ‘Uncle Gary’ (Player) is always interesting to listen to, and so fit for his age. He is also strongly anti-smoking and drinking.”
On Rio: “It’s very much like Durban, an emerging third world country. Our bus driver got lost once. No big deal. It’s an incredibly beautiful city, with stunning beaches, but it also has its crime. There’s a massive urban forest, something unique. The Christ the Redeemer statue can be seen from anywhere in the city. At night, with its bright, white lights, simply beautiful.”
