Page 65 - Thetha Issue 7

ALUMNI FEATURES

20 MINUTES
is (roughly) how long it takes to walk from
South Campus to the nearest beach

though,” she says. “Sport allowed me When she is not in the pool,
to de-stress, and it was a good way of you might find Ash surfing, running
taking my mind off things.” or gymming.
She is also grateful for her support “You don’t have to miss out on the
system who helped by making food fun times just because you want to be
and motivating her to learn. the best of the best, but you do have
Taking it to the topCompeting to put in the time.
at the Tokyo Olympic Games was “Just train as hard as you can and
“absolutely amazing”, says Ash. balance it with life. Don’t miss out on
“Lots of people tell you about the a party or going to the beach, live
cafeteria and that they can get their your life at the same time.”
hair or nails done but my favourite part She has good memories of her
was just being able to play against the time on campus in Summerstrand:
best of the best in the world. “I’m very honoured to be a Nelson
“It is such a privilege and Mandela University alumnus, I
an honour. wouldn’t have chosen another
university to graduate from.”

bit but I had to study straight away
for the next day. And then, due to the Ash first studied Sports
flights being delayed, I thought I was Science before switching to
going to miss it. “Just because pharmacy.
“I tried to email my lecturer but “In my first year out of school
she wasn’t getting back to me and I I’m studying I actually went to Stellenbosch
was panicking. I was crying. University and studied BSc
“I called Melinda Goosen, our doesn’t mean I Sport Science, but I just felt it
Madibaz Sports manager, and she can’t do sport wasn’t for me. As much as I love
picked up. sports, and the options coming
“I said, ‘listen, Melinda, I’m still competitively.” out of sports science, it just
in Johannesburg, I’ve been delayed wasn’t what I wanted to do with
but I’m supposed to write my exam. the rest of my life. Pharmacy,
Is there any way you can please however, was always something
contact someone in the pharmacy that I had thought about.”
department to let them know that I’m Today, she says she is loving
not in PE and I can’t do it, please give “Even through the stakes were her first post as an intern at
me 24 more hours.’ quite high against us, I loved every Berea Pharmacy in East London,
“Fortunately, she worked her second, it just felt so good to be in one of the country’s busiest
magic and was able to push it out by the water.” dispensing chemists.
24 hours so that I could write it. Although South Africa is the “I would 110% still choose
“You can only imagine, you go strongest country in Africa for the to do pharmacy but the first
through a lot mentally and physically sport, the international competition week or two at Berea I was
at the Olympics and your emotions in Tokyo was next level, she says. absolutely terrified. I had no
are drained because you are on one Her water polo-playing father work experience whatsoever
of the biggest sporting stages in introduced her to the sport: Ash and it’s such a fast paced
the world. played for her first team at the age environment (it’s in the top 10
“I was exhausted. I could not think of 13, in Grade Seven, and went dispensing retail pharmacies in
of doing an exam but it was what I had on to shine in the pool at Pearson South Africa),” she says.
to do, I had to push through it.” High School. “Now, I love it so much. It’s
Time management was essential “Make goals and stick to them the exact environment that I see
due to the demands of playing sport but, do it for the passion,” she myself working in, I’ve made
competitively and studying at the advises other young athletes. “Don’t some friends and I couldn’t think
same time. do it because someone else is telling of a better place to have started
“Just because I’m studying doesn’t you because then you’ll lose your my working career.”
mean I can’t do sport competitively, motivation for it over the years.”

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