This Mitchells Plain athlete used to walk seven hours to train and eat dry bread before a tough session, but says today he is reaping the rewards.
Keegan van der Merwe, 25, last month brought home a bronze medal from a national championships held in Pretoria.
Representing the Western Cape, he participated in the 400m race at the SA Senior Track and Field Championships and made it to the semi-finals finishing at 47.70.
He received his bronze medal for the 4x100m relay.
"It was an amazing and unforgettable experience, I met my role model Wayde van Niekerk, the guy I one day will have to beat to be the best.
“This has always been my dream, as I'm the first in my family to make the Western Province team.”
He was a top contender for the 2020 nationals, which were cancelled due to the pandemic.
In a Facebook post, he narrated his struggles, saying how he was discovered in 2016 by Carmen and Mark Lewin who spotted him running at a church sports day and took him to a running club.
He also had to “steal train and sit on the roof because it was so full” to get to training.
In 2019 when trains were not in service, he walked from Beacon Valley to UWC in Bellville or Vygieskraal in Athlone, saying: “Those were long walks, which took me three-and-a-half hours to only do one hour training and then walk another three-and-a-half hours back home.”
A good Samaritan sponsored him with a bicycle, but it still took him 90 minutes to get there.
“Many times I only had a few pieces of dry bread before a tough training session, but I prayed and believed that God would fill me up.”
He says growing up in a community “filled with gang violence, drugs and alcohol abuse”, he always knew he wanted to become an example and inspire mense.
“My advice to other athletes is that no matter what you go through, there is always a way and reason to keep pushing.
“Sacrifices will have to be made if you want to achieve your goals. Place your trust in God.”
Coach Jonathan Dreyer describes Keegan as a determined athlete who never complains: “He trusts the process to achieve the goal he has set out for himself despite the obstacles he is facing.”