A white lie at the age of 11 was the beginning of a winning streak for a girl who grew up to become the first black woman on the national canoeing team.
Since then Nosipho Mthembu, 18, has gone on to compete — and win — for team SA at the Africa Games in Morocco in August. It was her first trip abroad.
When she reaches China today to race in the Canoe Marathon World Championships, it will be the furthest she’s been from her home town of Shongweni, outside Durban.
Her coaches are not surprised by her success. They were the ones, after her first lesson in 2013, to tell her parents that not only was she paddling when she should have been practising karate, but that she had been selected for the junior team.
“It was hard because my parents didn’t want me to be on the dam, there are superstitions around the dangers of the water, so I was lying to them. I told them I was coming home late because of karate,” Mthembu giggled.
Asked how many medals she had won, she said: “I have more than 60 medals — but I need to count them to see how many there are.”
The following day she reported back — “70 medals, four trophies”.
Earlier this year Mthembu became the first black female to complete the Dusi Canoe Marathon, in a K1 canoe.
While most of her peers at Thokoza Mnganga High School stress over their coming matric exams, Mthembu has to focus on both her studies and her training.
Six days a week, two hours a day, she alternates between coach Thembinkosi Ngcobo at Shongweni Dam and her high-performance training coach Lee McGregor at Blue Lagoon.
ere are superstitions around the dangers of the water, so I was lying to them
“It’s really challenging, especially because when I get back from China I have my first exam the next day. But I am a good student, I should do well. “My dream is to qualify for the Olympics.”
Mthembu will compete in the K2 race in Shaoxing on Friday with Amy Peckett.
Canoeing SA president Kim Pople believes Mthembu is an excellent role model.
“It’s really exciting for us. She started as a guppie [paddlers under the age of 14] and won medals all the way through to matric.
“Our only concern now is that she needs to study in China and we spoke with her about how important it is.
“She is a success story of the development programme.”
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