20 October 2023
(Feature photo: Nathan Foster, front, on his bike at the South African Triathlon Championships)
Among the most astonishing achievements by any South African schoolboy in 2023 must be the performances of Kearsney College’s Nathan Foster at two World Cup Triathlon events in Mauritius in September.
There, Nathan contested the under-19 category of the African Triathlon Sprint Championships, despite being just 15 years of age. He finished an eye-opening third behind two French athletes. The truth, he revealed, was that he might have done even better, if not for an error.
“On the run, I ran an extra 100 metres because I wasn’t paying attention to the turning point,” he admitted, “so the person in third passed me. That was pretty much the only error I made.”
Mauritius International Triathlon
A week later, in the north of the island, he participated in the elite men’s category of the Mauritius International Triathlon, which is open to professional athletes, and, again, astounded with his performance.
“I was racing top athletes there. There wasn’t a lot of pressure on me to do very well because, obviously, they were much older than me. But I pushed and I managed to come seventh,” he said.
It’s important to put his achievements into context. Consider the physical size difference between a 15-year-old rugby player and one in the under-19 age group or think about an athlete running either a middle distance or sprint event with that four-year age gap in place. The former would be disallowed, the latter would surely be a forgone conclusion.
Except, put the disciplines of swimming, cycling and running together, and Nathan Foster is not only competing against elite athletes many years his senior, he is excelling against them. Logically, it shouldn’t be happening, but his remarkable results jump off the page.
Prodigiously talented and very hard working, he has, in his own mind, a very long way to go. Yet, he is already ranked the number two under-19 triathlete in Africa!
“I realised I have quite a lot of potential…”
“I realised I have quite a lot of potential in triathlon and, in order to go far, I am going to have to travel far and do races, to get the accolades, and to go overseas. That’s what I am working on, getting stuff behind me, titles and championships, even local, in order to make it overseas.”
Only three years ago, he was in primary school. Today, though, his triathlon ambitions are unambiguous. He wants to push himself to compete at the very highest levels.
“In the next year, I want to go overseas, to America or Germany. Later, when I am in my twenties, I want to go overseas and race. I want to go to the Olympics. That’s one of my big goals. Also, I would like to race Super League overseas. I want to go far.”
A driven young man
These words are spoken matter-of-factly, with no false bravado. They’re delivered with confidence, not arrogance. They’re spoken by a driven young man who believes, if he works hard enough, he has the talent which will allow him to compete with the world’s elite. It’s hard to argue that he hasn’t started making a case that he will be up to that challenge.
His entry into triathlon started with swimming. Then, when he realised he was “pretty good” at running, he took on some biathlons. After he took up mountain biking, his parents suggested he give the triathlon a go.
For his first triathlon, he took on the family-oriented Tinman on the Durban Beachfront. From there, Nathan’s progress was rapid. “I did very well in that, and then I just went to the KZN Champs, then SA Champs.”
Demanding and time-consuming
The fact that triathlon is made up of three disciplines means it is a demanding and time-consuming pursuit, especially when competing at the level that Nathan contests.
On the day we spoke, he had cycled with a group in the morning. Then, after school, he was on his way to a swimming session. “I try to squeeze it in. Also staying for school and everything, it’s quite difficult, so my schedule is very busy. Yeah, I train every day, twice a day, sometimes.”
He added: “This weekend, I am doing the Amashova. Last weekend, I did the Glencairn Trail Run. I swim in galas, as well.”
Nathan was part of a group of Kearsney College boys who took on the challenge of the Glencairn Trail Run. They did more than participate, however. They shone. On day one, the distance was eight kilometres. It was 10Ks on day two. Luke Treleaven was first, Nathan second, Andrew James third and Keaton Gaines fifth.
The need for recovery
Something he has to watch carefully is when rest is required, Nathan explained: “It is hard to find time for a break, but I enjoy what I do. It’s not as if I don’t want to do it and I am forced to do it. I actually want to do it, and I enjoy it.
“Sometimes, I have to force myself to rest. When I get tired and I’m tired at school, I realise I should take a little bit of a break to get my energy back.”
Questioned about his heroes, he said: “From South Africa, I look up to Henri Schoeman.”
More than a good role model
Schoeman’s more than a good role model. He won bronze at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. In 2018, he won Commonwealth Games gold. He has also based himself in Durban.
“He’s someone I look up to in triathlon, racing the shorter distances, Super League and the sprint distances,” Nathan said.
“I’ve seen him a few times. I’ve never raced him. But he’s definitely one of the people I look up to.”
When he speaks about never racing against Schoeman, now 32 years of age, there’s the unspoken part that lingers, the “yet”. Nathan’s not intimidated. He’s eager to take on ever-harder challenges.
By not standing back for any test, he’s not allowing age to be a limitation to his achievements.
Nathan Foster is making waves locally and, increasingly, beyond the boundaries of South Africa. And, yes, we mentioned it before, but…he’s just 15 years of age!
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