Meet the Young Athletes – Deborah Dredge

November 18, 2017

Young but making a difference in many spheres in life is Deborah Dredge. This talented young lady has many accolades against her name, not only in swimming but in Life Saving and in Open water. She is an extremely hard worker and speaks with deep respect of her coaches who guides and mentors her on her journey. She is grounded in her faith in Christ and knows the wonderful plans that He has for her life. She says about herself –

“I like to be independent but will do anything when it comes to helping my team, friends and family.

I believe in loyalty, determination and hard work. In the future I’d like to be an inspiration and role model to others. I also want to stay humble no matter what”.

Athlete: Bio / Stats
Name & Surname	Deborah Dredge
Nick Name	Debs
Date of birth	18 May 2002
Place of birth	Pretoria
Current City	Pretoria
Height	1.68m
Weight	66kg
Shoe Size	7
Club	Pretoria Aquatic Club/ Tuks Lifesaving
Coach’s Name	Leon Anderson, Marcus Gloak, Eugene da Ponte, Louis lotter / Valencia Walker
Out of Country events	Commonwealth Festival of Lifesaving
Secondary Sports	Hockey
Favorite City	Edinburgh
Favorite Type of music	I don’t have a favourite but I like anything on Top 40
Favorite Movie	The Guardian
School & Grade	Woodhill College Grade 9
Twitter and Instagram names, facebook name	deborah_dredge
Community / church projects involved in	Waterkloof Baptist
Parents Names, siblings	Caleb(Dad), Paula(Mom), Hannah, Phoebe, Elijah, Ruth

INTERVIEW:

Q: You are passionate and doing so well in your Swimming, tell me a little bit about how you started in Swimming and your journey in the Swimming arena up to now?

I’ve been swimming my whole life but started swimming competitively in grade two. Ever since my first gala I have loved absolutely anything to do with water.

Since then I have qualified for Junior Nationals and selected for the SA Presidents team for the Commonwealth festival of lifesaving.

Q: Who are you?

I like to be independent but will do anything when it comes to helping my team, friends and family.

I believe in loyalty, determination and hard work. In the future I’d like to be an inspiration and role model to others. I also want to stay humble no matter what.

Q: What is the highest accolade that you have achieved in Swimming and what is your greatest personal accomplishment?

Representing NTS in open water at SA Nationals for 3 consecutive years

Representing Gauteng North and Gauteng Lifesaving at SA Nationals, being awarded Senior Victrix Ludorum for 2016 and 2017.

Qualifying for Junior Nationals.

Swimming as part of the President’s team at the Commonwealth festival of Lifesaving.

Q: Why do you have so much love and respect for your coaches?

I have five coaches: Leon Anderson, Marcus Gloak, Eugene da Ponte, Louis Lotter for swimming and then Valencia Walker for lifesaving.

They are all absolutely amazing in their own way and have contributed to the person I am today.

I have been with Leon the longest and he is one of the biggest reasons why I have accomplished everything I have in and out of the pool but I wouldn’t have achieved anything if they hadn’t all believed in me and taught me all I needed to know in swimming and lifesaving.

Q: What is your favorite food? And who must cook it

Definitely pasta.

Cooked by my mom.

Q: So you swim well and are doing well in academics but name 1 thing that you suck at

I cannot sing or dance to save my life.

Q: What is your personal favorite motivational quote?

“Make it happen. Shock everyone.”

-Anonymous

Q: What is your favourite Bible / Scripture quote?

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11

Q: What is your definition of success in life?

Success is hard work.

Q: What’s your WHY ? Why do you do what you do?

I swim for the race, for the insane amounts of adrenalin, the feeling of accomplishment after you just finished one of the hardest sets of your life, for my team and all the memories and for the 5:30 morning practices that we all secretly love.

I swim because what you put in is what you get out and no matter what’s happening in your life I will always have swimming. I would like to be an inspiration to others and to help bring even more people to love this amazing sport.

Thank you so much for taking this interview. We would like to wish you all the best for your journey ahead. We look forward to following you as you go from strength to strength. Blessings!

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I try to plan my days really meticulously and stick close to that plan. It helps to put everything into perspective.

Michael in his 3 stripes.

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Medal time!

Quiet moment of contemplation.

About Hard Times: “Fall down 7 times get up 8!! Always do what makes you happy and if you have a passion for that sport and love it, it will make those difficult patches a lot easier to handle”.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind”.

Best piece of advice I’ve ever been given “swim for you and for no one else”.

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Right now, all my energy is focused on my training and keeping my body in the best shape possible for the World Championships in Kazan, Russia, in August. This in turn is preparation for the 2016 Olympics in Rio next year.

Quiet Moment of contemplation.

Achmat Hasseim, a Paralympian from South African arrives at Terminal 1 of Heathrow Airport in London.

Myles Brown

Take your marks

Michael’s Dad – Peter

Getting to practice with Penny’s medals!

Matthew Meyer

This is possibly the most important part of an athlete’s career. This is when you need to have all the self belief in yourself and what you are doing, and with this self belief you will be able to rise from any “difficult patch”.

Proudly team Gauteng

Rachel with Coach Gerhard Zandberg

Michael Phelps & Michael

Fun with good friendies

100m back stroke medalist

Proudly Team Gauteng

Hahaha, it would probably be that I am very quiet and an introverted person, so often I think people take it as me being upset, in a bad mood or arrogant even, which is not the case I hope…

True Leader: Head Girl 2015

Zane Waddell prior to the Men 100m long course backstroke finals at the SA National Aquatic Championships 2016 in Durban. PHOTO: STEVE HAAG

Cameronvd Burgh 4 and Jarred Crous 5, both set Olympic qualifying times ine 20m breaststroke.

Podium photo 4 x 100m Medley relay

PORT ELIZABETH, SOUTH AFRICA – DECEMBER 18: Jonathan Draai of Eastern Province during the match between Eastern Province vs South Western Districts at NMMU B during day 3 of the Coca-Cola Khaya Majola Week on December 18, 2015 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. (Photo by Richard Huggard/Gallo Images)

Karin with Coach Igor Omeltchenko

I have learned how to stay focused, how to communicate with people speaking different languages and manage long periods of time without my family.

As the years progressed I have gone to places like Scotland, Spain, France, Netherlands, Dubai, Australia and China competing with the best athletes in the world.

Having faith in who God is, is one of the biggest things you could ever do. Always believe that you are a conqueror and with God everything is possible.

The highest accolade that I have achieved was to represent my country at high level World Championships and the Commonwealth Games.

Football

Power Start

SA Champion Medalists.

Advertise on Heslop Sports

Read for take off!

Football

Carissa and Dune at OR Tombo 1st International Tour

As a younger champ

Life’s awesome and if I live in a bubble, it’s a bubble I wish a lot of people could enjoy with me!

He is a grade 11 student at Bishops Diocesan College in Cape Town. Lucky guy, with the sea and beautiful Table Mountain to urge him on!

Steady

NANJING, CHINA. 25 August 2014. Youth Olympic Games taking place in Nanjing, China. Athletics. South Africa’s Jo-An van Dyk. Copyright picture by Wander Roberto / SASPA

Heslop Sports

Gone!

Queen of the Swimming Pool

Michael in full flight

Getting ready for 100m back final

Rene Warnes – Proudly South African.

Ready

Achmat Hasseim, a Paralympian from South African arrives at Terminal 1 of Heathrow Airport in London.

Shireen Shapiro wins Bronze in the 100m backstroke final… Day 6 of the London 2012 Paralympic. PHOTO HERMAN VERWEY MEDIA24

Supporting Team Gauteng

Awards received at the 2015 NTS Gala Evening

I have been swimming for the past 15 years and have loved every minute of it, even during the extremely tough and difficult phases.

Champion by land and by water

Jarred Crous

GABORONE, BOTSWANA. 28 MAY 2014. African Youth Games which take place in Gaborone from 22 May until 31 May. Athletics. Copyright picture by WESSEL OOSTHUIZEN / SASPA

Rebecca Meder and Trisha Pollicutte with me on the podium for 50 Fly

Karin looking all relaxed

Irvette van Zyl . Picture: BACKPAGEPIX

Travelling put me in many different environments, and that made me even want to train much harder.

Go!

Carissa and Mom Speedo Prestige July 2013 1st SA Nationals Record 50m backstroke

NANJING, CHINA. 25 August 2014. Youth Olympic Games taking place in Nanjing, China. Athletics. South Africa’s Jo-An van Dyk. Copyright picture by Wander Roberto / SASPA

Smile for the Paparazzi

Michael is very fond of Achmat and they are now GoPro buddies.

Fun loving guy

Matric Dance 2015

Travelling outside SA has also made me appreciate our beautiful country as well as and everyone back at home.

Perfection

New friendships forged

Michael with dad in the beautiful Drakensberg

The moment when Crous realised he’d just beaten the qualifying time for the Rio Olympics! Photo Credit / Anesh Debiky/Swim SA

Grecia – Olimpia – 21/04/2016 – REVEZAMENTO DA TOCHA OLIMPICA RIO 2016 – Cerimônia de acendimento da Chama Olímpica Rio 2016 e início do revezamento grego no sítio arqueológico do Templo de Hera. Na foto, o segundo condutor do revezamento grego, Giovane Gávio. Foto: Rio2016/Andre Luiz Mello

Proud champion.

I love Kansas, I love our home in Kansas, and I love the fact that I’m so blessed to have a pool in my back yard to be able to do what I love.

Sisterly love.

The late Jeanne Davin with Daniela

Frank Heslop

Medals and trophys

Michael’s cousins with Chad and Michael

Jonathan

Ultimately I am working towards next year’s Olympic Games and hopefully my dream will become a reality.

100m back podium photo

50m back podium photo

A day at the beach in SA

Karin in full flight

The highest accolade that I have achieved was to represent South Africa at the Common Wealth Games and Youth Olympics last year.

Proudly Team SA

Academic

Ready, Steady, GO!!

Two Champions – Michael with Sissy Michaela

Durban South Africa – December Saturday 19th, GV during the 2015 KZN Premier Championships. KINGS PARK POOL COMPLEX – MASABALALA YENGWA AVE -DURBAN,Saturday 19th December till Sunday 20st December 2015.(Photo by Steve Haag)images for social media must have consent from Steve Haag

My name is Devon Myles William Brown, but most people know me as Myles. The reason for this is that it is a family tradition that the first-born son of each generation is called by their second name as well as taking the name William.

Matthew Meyer Olympic Trials

I leave home at 4:50 am, go for morning training, then school, then back to training and finally return home by 6:45 pm and then homework starts.

My sister and I with Karin returning from London 2012

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My biggest challenge is to make it to the big Olympics one day…and because of that I’m training and giving my all to achieve that.

Carissa and Chad le Clos Speedo Prestige July 2013

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Matthew Meyer

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Champion swimmer.

Karin doing her brilliant backstroke thing

Swimming mates

Irvette van Zyl Foto: DEAAN VIVIER

Meeting Elvis Blue at his concert after first swimming an NTS Age Group Gala

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Rene’s dad – Ian

…but my greatest personal accomplishment would definitely be breaking Ryk Neethling’s Long and Short course 400m Freestyle national records.

Ready for take off

Karin and I being interviewed by Speedo

René Kalmer Foto: GETTY IMAGES

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Ruan Ras: A true Youth Sports Ambassador.

Shireen Shapiro wins Bronze in the 100m backstroke final… Day 6 of the London 2012 Paralympics. PHOTO HERMAN VERWEY MEDIA24

December 2009

Underwater fun!

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My highest accolade was when I went to the World Junior Champs in the USA for the long jump and Ethiopia where I competed against the Commonwealth winner, and still got a silver medal.

The Olympic Flag flies in front of “Christ the Redeemer” statue during a blessing ceremony in Rio de Janeiro August 19, 2012. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes

There is a huge sense of pride when you get to represent the people of South Africa, especially when you see the flag on your swimming cap before you go out to race.

Joining Karin for sponsor duty

Happiness is…

Douglas Erasmus in the Men 100m Freestyle Semi Finals during day 4 of the SA National Aquatic Championships 2016 at Kings Park Aquatic Centre on April 13, 2016 in Durban, South Africa. (Photo by Steve Haag/Gallo Images)

Calvyn Justus

Which athlete/ athletes inspire you? The Awesome Foursome – Ryk Neethling, Roland Schoeman, Darian Townsend, Lyndon Ferns – who won gold in the 4x100m Freestyle Relay at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. These guys proved to me at a young age that South African swimmers could go and compete with the best in the world and come out victorious!

Podium photo 100m back

Ruan Tweeted: “Tuks Olympian and role model to many @PrinslooKarin crowded by excited young swimmers for her autograph #inspiration”.

“…a girl that have had the opportunity to represent South Africa at the World Championships, Youth Olympics and Common Wealth Games through the guidance of my coach Igor Omeltchenko”.

Carla Johnson (18) is passionate about sports and she is appealing for a good Samaritan to sponsor her so that she doesn’t miss any more competitions PHOTO: TIYESE JERANJI