Already living his dream as a professional athlete, long jump ace Ruswahl Samaai is well on his way to reaching the pinnacle in his sport as he goes in search of a medal at the Rio Olympic Games.
Far removed from his humble beginnings, but well-rooted in his childhood dreams, Samaai has become an inspirational figure in local track and field.
Samaai grew up in a shack in Paarl with his mother and had to walk up to 10km through dodgy neighbourhoods to get to training and back.
The Commonwealth Games bronze medallist proudly talks of how he rose above his circumstances to emerge as one of South Africa’s medal prospects at the Rio Games.
“There were good times, and there were bad times but some of those things shaped me into the person I am today,” Samaai said.
“I want to show the other up-and-coming athletes that there is a way out. Don’t let your circumstances stab you in the back, or stand in the way of what you want to achieve.”
This week proved to be a watershed moment for Samaai as he and South African 100m record-holder Akani Simbine signed a sponsorship deal with Japanese electronics giant Panasonic.
“I thought things would change after the Commonwealth Games, and I'd get more support from my federation - but till this day nothing has changed,” Samaai said.
“But I don’t allow things like that to get me down. This (the sponsorship deal) is only the beginning of bigger things to come.”
Samaai’s star started shining in 2014 when he bagged the Commonwealth Games bronze medal with a best leap of 8.08m.
It was the first year in which he managed to jump further than eight metres, which has since become second nature for Samaai.
Leaping to his maiden national title in Stellenbosch with a personal best of 8.38m in 2015, it promised to be a stellar year.
A hamstring injury had other plans for the jumper with a sunny disposition, however, as it kept him sidelined for two months.
He still managed to make it to his first World Championships in Beijing, where he failed to advance to the final.
Consistency is the greatest weapon in a long jumper’s arsenal which he's proved to have in abundance.
He has jumped over eight metres outdoors on more than 10 occasions this season, he successfully defended his national title, and then added the continental crown for good measure.
The 24-year-old won his first Diamond League gold medal in Rabat, equalling his personal best of 8.38m in Morocco in May.
His 8.40m winning jump at the African Athletics Championships in Durban last week may not legally count as a new personal best as it was wind-assisted but it nevertheless demonstrated his ability to produce the goods when it matters.
Samaai was embroiled in a tit-for-tat battle with long-time Paarl friend and long-jump rival Luvo Manyonga as they responded to each other’s jumps.
In the end, Samaai edged out the Rio-bound Manyonga, who had to be content with a silver medal with a best effort of 8.23m.
Winning these small little battles form the building blocks for Samaai in realising his dream of stepping onto the highest step of the podium at the Rio Games.
“You don’t go to the Games just to call yourself an Olympian, (you aim) to return with a medal. So it's my dream to win a medal for my country - but I know it will be difficult,” Samaai concluded. - Saturday Star