Biathle South African Colours

for Leanda 'Dada' De Bruyn

As a young girl who once did not want to run competitively—or even run at all—I grew into an athlete with a dream to represent my country in a sport that has since become my lifestyle. I competed in track and cross-country up to university level, where I received a scholarship to study in California. My true journey toward representing my country only began when I returned in 2018, not in track, but in multisport.

The switch came in 2020 after a difficult 2019 track season, where I committed fully to training for qualification for the World Student Championships in the 5000m. I made the provisional squad but unfortunately did not make the final team. It left me heartbroken, and I knew I needed a change.

I moved into multisport disciplines and quickly discovered my love for the intensity of Biathle and sprint triathlon. The Biathle distances suited me perfectly: a 1.6 km run, 200 m swim, followed by another 1.6 km run.

By mid-2020, I had set my sights on competing at the World Championships in Germany. At the time, I had no clear plan for how I would get there, but I was determined to make it happen. Unfortunately, the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fast forward to 2022, and my goal of competing at the World Championships was alive once again. I began saving money and launched a fundraiser by making sports bras. I also received significant financial support from Reach for Rainbows, through Gavin Louw.

That year, I won the SA Biathle Championships with a personal best and a time that was competitive on the world stage. At the same time, I was competing in triathlon and had moved up from sprint to standard distance racing. I went on to win the SA Standard Distance Triathlon Championships in my age group.

Unfortunately, I underestimated the accumulated fatigue on my body and suffered a stress fracture in September that year. This was my first fracture after running for 12 years.

This became a major setback, as I had been preparing for the Standard Triathlon World Championships in Abu Dhabi. Everything had already been arranged—flights booked, accommodation secured, and years of savings committed to the journey. I did everything I could to cross-train and prepare despite the injury, but the recovery timeline was too short, and I ultimately had to make the heartbreaking decision not to compete.

I transferred what I could and chose instead to compete at the Biathle World Championships, as the time on my feet would be less and the event itself much shorter. I completed my first run in six weeks just prior to race day, and although things felt uncertain, it was manageable. The course was split between beach sand and road running. After the first few steps on the sand, I knew it would come down to grit and determination to reach the finish line.

I finished 13th, and our team won gold. However, my foot had not fully healed, and the fracture returned. I was left with mixed emotions, feeling as though I had underperformed. My dream of representing South Africa had not unfolded the way I had imagined, and I hoped I would one day get another opportunity.

So here we are in 2026, and I finally put on a blazer that represents so much more than just colours.

I returned to Biathle in 2025 with the goal of competing alongside my entire family at the World Championships in Mossel Bay. The format had changed to an 800 m run, a 200 m swim, and another 800 m run—faster, more intense, and far more speed-focused than what I was used to. It was a real adjustment, but I embraced it wholeheartedly.

I finished second at the SA Championships in Nelspruit, achieving a qualifying time for the World Championships. From there, preparation for the December World Championships truly began. It was a deeply special experience to compete at a World Championship event alongside both my parents and my sister.

I placed second in the Biathle relay with my teammate and fourth in the individual event. We also secured a team gold for South Africa, with three athletes finishing in the top four of the individual race. To qualify for my Protea Colours, I had to achieve the required qualifying standards at both the SA Championships and the World Championships.

Putting on this Green Blazer means more to me than words can describe. It represents the challenges, sacrifices, and emotions that shaped this journey, while also motivating me to keep striving, because my journey is far from over!