When Hanson Singaphi ties the laces on his running shoes on Saturday, there is a possibility that some dust from Port Elizabeth will fall to earth in Kailua Kona, Hawaii, the spiritual home to the Ironman World Championship – a destination that many athletes aspire to, but only 1 900 will achieve in 2017.
For Hanson, who has made the transition from Walmer township at the Eastern Cape coastal city there is no doubt that his thoughts won’t be on the symbolism created by the simple act of lacing on shoes.
Instead, he will be concentrating on the 3.86km swim, 180.25km bicycle ride and 42.16km marathon run, that have to be undertaken back to back in what is undoubtedly one of the world’s most gruelling one-day sporting events.
The road to Kona and the journey from the shores of the South African coast across the world to the exotic Pacific island of Hawaii, is remarkable in several respects for the 40-year-old athlete from Port Elizabeth.
Hanson has swum, cycled and run his way to Kona, the home of the Ironman World Championships since 1978, and in the process has transformed his life.
Left behind are the dusters, mops and buckets that were part of his everyday life as a cleaning supervisor at the Virgin Active gym in his hometown.
The year was 2004, and at that stage he didn’t even know how to swim. Ironman South Africa Race Director, Paul Wolff, was training athletes in the pool.
Hanson’s interest was transformed into action by the chance meeting, and he was soon part of the SA Triathlon Development Team. Hanson began racing in 2005, not knowing that his participation would eventually see him jetting across the world to Ironman’s premier event.
A humble man who admits that he still suffers from severe attacks of ‘butterflies’ before each race, Hanson is conscious that his achievements have the potential to inspire others to enter the sport and also excel.
“I have always been a runner, but wanted to do something different to inspire my community; I wanted to be the first black African man to compete in Ironman,” he says.
“I am extremely pleased that I will be competing at these World Championships. This is truly amazing, and a start of great things to happen to my life. I am proud of the community that raised me and for the support I continue to receive from all sport-loving people in South Africa.”
Hanson is well prepared for the World Championship, having competed in the Standard Bank Ironman African Championship in his home town and the Standard Bank Ironman Durban race on June 18.
The Durban race, added recently to the calendar, bears testimony to the steady growth of Ironman events in South Africa, and has joined the Standard Bank ‘stable’ of races that are regarded as the pinnacle of events in the local sport.
To Hazel Chimhandamba, Head of Sponsorship at Standard Bank, the Hanson Singaphi story is a practical example of why the bank is a sponsor of leading and innovative sporting initiatives.
“Sport opens opportunities for all. Personal backgrounds and social differences are irrelevant. Events like Ironman serve to remind us that if we have commitment, ambition, a will to work hard and the strength to tackle challenges that we can all succeed despite the obstacles that are placed before us.” – African News Agency (ANA),
