De afgelopen weken hebben jullie kennisgemaakt met de sporters die namens Reddingsbrigade Dordrecht aan de start verschijnen op het WK Interclub. Vandaag is het de beurt aan Connor!
Connor traint inmiddels al twee jaar bij DRB, maar Komt eigenlijk uit Zuid-Afrika. Hij geboren in Port Elizabeth, de plaats waar het WK wordt gehouden! Tijdens het WK komt Connor uit voor zijn Zuid-Afrikaanse club, Kings Beach, en niet voor DRB. In het interview vertelt Connor meer over zichzelf én geeft hij handige tips voor het reizen naar en verblijven in Zuid-Afrika.
Who is Connor;
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, and moved to Rotterdam, the Netherlands, two years ago.
What do you do in your daily life?
I work as a barista at the Markthal in Rotterdam while training hard for the World Championships.
Connor in lifesaving;
What do you love most about lifesaving?
The people are definitely the best part of lifesaving! Everyone is so much fun to be around, and I’ve met some of my best friends through the sport. I also love how fun and varied the events are. I’ve always loved the ocean, so the ocean side of lifesaving is definitely one of my favourite parts of the sport.
My favourite event is…
My favourite ocean event is tube rescue, and in the pool, it has to be the 50m manikin carry!
What has lifesaving taught you?
Lifesaving has taught me to put the team first and realise how important teamwork is. I never want to let my teammates down, and that motivates me every day to train hard so we can perform at our best and achieve great things together.
What are you most looking forward to during the World Championships?
I’m really looking forward to seeing athletes compete at such a high level and learning from them. I’m also excited to show my Dordrecht teammates my hometown and my home club, Kings Beach. And of course, the most exciting part is the after-party!
Connor’s travel advice
What is the one thing your teammates should know before travelling to South Africa?
Always be aware of your surroundings and ask me or another South African if you’re unsure whether it’s safe to go somewhere 😂. Also, if you get the opportunity, make sure to explore and see how beautiful South Africa really is before or after the competition!
What are three things your teammates should definitely pack for South Africa?
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Liver tablets 😂
What food, drinks or local experiences should we definitely try while we’re in South Africa?
You definitely have to experience a traditional South African braai! You also have to try biltong, boerewors, melktert and a proper bunny chow if you get the chance.
For drinks, you have to try a Black Label, which we call a Zamalek in South Africa.
And for a local experience, spend some time at the beach, whether it’s surfing, fishing or just enjoying the ocean.
Food advice;
- South African braai
- biltong
- boerewors
- melktert
- bunny chow
What should we definitely see or do before heading back home?
You have to visit Addo Elephant National Park! It’s an amazing place to go on a game drive and see some of South Africa’s incredible wildlife in their natural habitat.
What is one thing tourists often don’t know about South Africa?
People drive like absolute maniacs sometimes, so be careful on the roads! 😭
Also, a lot of fun activities are much cheaper than in Europe, so take advantage of it and try as much as you can while you’re there.
If you could be the team’s tour guide for one day, where would you take us?
I’d take the team deep-sea fishing, go on a 4×4 adventure, and finish the day with a drive through Addo Elephant National Park to see some of South Africa’s amazing wildlife!
Connor, thanks for your advice. We’ll see you at the World Championship. Good luck!