By GARY LEMKE in Tokyo
They say that every journey starts with a single step and in this case it’s one plunge into the pool that sets an entire sport on a new pathway.
When you are part of a story which sees your country competing in an Olympic Games for the first time in its history – going back to 1904, not just 1992 – you are justified in standing a couple of centimetres taller and belting out your national anthem with even more gusto than you might have.
On Sunday at 6.20pm local time (11.20am SA time) South Africa’s women’s waterpolo team will be launched onto an entirely new, exciting journey, which will continue to build momentum and help bring dreams into reality.
So, let’s get the sensationalism and tabloid headlines out of the way. Despite being in an arguably “easier” draw at these Tokyo 2020 Olympics, South Africa’s women aren’t going to win a medal. There will be no fairytale medals story to be written from these Games. They won’t, surely, get out of Group A either.
However, this already a fairytale story. Now that history has been made, how inspiring is it that while 2020 (2021) are trend-setters, that for Paris 2024, Los Angeles 2028, Brisbane 2032 and beyond, South Africa have the opportunity to have women’s waterpolo representation. Without harping on the hows and whys of the past, this is a new beginning. There will be no looking back.
At the heart of the new beginning is captain Jordan Wedderburn. Last year she completed her Matric year at St Stithians College in Johannesburg, where she gained four distinctions, and she is soon off to the United States to study a KRS degree at the University of Hawaii. “It’s a Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Science degree,” she says, “which is basically a sports science degree”.
Wedderburn first earned her provincial colours in Grade 8, but has been thrown in the deep end by being handed the captain’s responsibilities for her country at senior level at the age of 18. “It’s a huge honour for me to not only be part of this history and competing at the Olympic Games, but to also captain South Africa. I’m under no illusions.”
Swimming SA has to be applauded for thinking ahead, and actually following through on the thought processes. Finally, many would argue, there’s a clear direction of what lies ahead for waterpolo and what is expected of players, coaches and other affiliated parties. Therefore Tokyo 2020 is just the beginning, for both the men and the women, when it comes to the future of the sport.
Definitely better late than never.
“I went on my first senior trip in 2019 and this is my first trip without my parents following me around and supporting me. That was only due to the Covid-19 restrictions though, otherwise they’d definitely have come to Tokyo,” she says. “I’m the youngest player in the squad and the captain, so I fully understand that I’m in this position for development and to develop my leadership skills.”
That expression, “a wise head on young shoulders” applies to Wedderburn and there’s no hint of arrogance. “The first time I played at senior international level came as a huge shock. As soon as we started playing I realised how big the gap was. I suppose this will also be quite an eye-opener in terms of competition!”
One of the seniors that Wedderburn will be feeding off is Megan Sileno, who at the age of 32 is finally getting the opportunity that she was denied from when she was her new’s captain’s age. She was just 19 when the Beijing Games took place. Yet another case though of better late than never.
Sileno is a mother and wife and at home are baby Jamie, who turns three in October, and husband Jason. “We WhatsApp every day and Jamie says that his mommy is on ‘an adventure’. Jason has been really great and supportive during the entire process. It’s mid-afternoon time here when I call home and it’s morning there. I give them a ‘wake-up’ call, both of them – and the golden retriever!
“This Olympics is not about us,” Sileno says. “It’s really about the future of women’s waterpolo. We know we’re representing our country at the pinnacle of sport, and we’re realistic about what awaits us. We can only do what we can … create and achieve mini goals in each chukka … afterwards we can analyse and reflect and improve on the things that might have let us down in any particular game. As a collective we can also take the experiences back with us and pass on to those who will be inspired by what we have been part of.”
South Africa’s women’s waterpolo can only go from strength to strength through this opportunity and breakthrough. We will be a different side in the next couple of Olympics going forward.
“Personally, I hope to be able to put everything into the next cycle to Paris 2024 and be part of that journey, along with Jordan and all the other exciting talent that we have coming through the system,” Sileno added.
Photo: Wedderburn and Sileno