LIFESAVING is not just a seasonal job, it is a year-round commitment. This is the wisdom shared by veteran lifesaver and Olympic athlete, Tiffany Koch.

Her lifesaving journey began at the age of 11 when her family moved down from Johannesburg to Durban. Her parents felt it essential for Koch and her brothers to learn about the ocean and her journey with Warnadoone Surf Lifesaving Club started to take shape as she rose through the ranks from nipper to senior, and eventually proudly representing her country.

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Koch first competed in the Olympics in 2012 in the London Games. After missing out on Rio 2016, she qualified to compete in Paris two years ago. She reached the quarter-final stages of both the 500m K1 and K2 dashes there, teaming up with her friend and fellow Olympic kayaker, Esti Olivier, in the K2 sprint.

Lifesaving fundamentals

“Lifesaving is the practise of mastering the skills needed to prevent drowning and building the physical strength to rescue those in danger,” explained Koch. She said that the certification process to qualify as a lifesaver is rigorous and requires a 400m pool swim under eight minutes, a run-swim-run in the surf, proficiency in board, torpedo buoy and boxline rescues, in addition to CPR and first aid.

She explained her view that the most critical part of lifesaving is proactive prevention.

“A great lifeguard anticipates a drowning before it happens by reading the ocean and identifying high-risk individuals like elderly people or young children before they get into any trouble. When an incident does occur, you have to rely on your training to stay calm and methodical,” said Koch.

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Currently, her focus is on preparation for the 2026 DHL SA National Lifesaving Championships, taking place at Kings Beach and Newton Park Swimming Pool in Gqeberha.

“Racing the world’s best on home soil is a massive opportunity that I am training intensely for,” said Tiffany.

Beyond competition, she has come full circle and is mentoring micro-nippers from ages five to seven. Her daughters have also started their journeys and she finds it rewarding to pass on ocean skills to the next generation.

Outside her professional life, her primary interest is spending quality time with family. She loves going to the beach with them as it is where she feels most at home.

Warnadoone Surf Lifesaving Club

“Warnadoone Surf Lifesaving Club is much more than just a club to me, it’s a family-oriented ‘home away from home,’ where I’ve formed lifelong friendships. One of our biggest hurdles as a small club is the cost of competitive craft. To race at a high level, you need specialised equipment, which is becoming increasingly expensive and is something we often lack. Having local support is what allows us to bridge that gap, stay competitive, and continue our mission of keeping the public safe while racing at the highest level,” said Koch.

She encouraged those interested in becoming lifesavers to visit the club on Sundays to join up. For more information, contact the club on 082 725 4649.

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