Turn up at the airport holding a poster and begging for a date with one of South Africa’s most sought after men – the plan sounds ludicrous. But for Melanie Olhaus it turned out swimmingly.
“I’m so excited, it feels like a dream,” she said on Wednesday.
Olhaus caught the biggest fish in the sea when she convinced Olympic swimming champion Chad le Clos to accompany her to her matric dance.
Olhaus is a matric pupil at Glenvista High School and lives in the medium-sized town of Bassonia in Joburg.
It took, camping out at OR Tambo International Airport with a poster that read “Chad, will you be my matric dance date?”, to catch the gold-medallist’s eye. But finally Olhaus, who is an avid swimmer, got the answer she was hoping for.
“He said ‘yes’,” she said. “Then he told me he was going to wear a blue tie to go with my beautiful blue eyes.”
Le Clos said he was definitely planning on joining her if his schedule permitted.
“I’ve been so busy, I haven’t even had a chance to look,” he said. “But if I can, I definitely want to go. I was very busy in my matric year so it will be a chance to enjoy something I missed out on.”
Olhaus doesn’t have 20-year-old Le Clos’s number or e-mail, so she is hoping the swimmer keeps his word.
“It’s been all over the media, so it would be quite silly if he didn’t pitch,” she joked. “Lead SA told me they would handle everything.”
Although the dance is set to happen only on September 29, Olhaus has already been showered with gifts.
The Toyota dealership in East Rand has lent her a Lexus sports car for the night, and a local clothing store, Our Wardrobe, has given her a custom-fitted dress.
The media has been descending on Chad’s hot date, with YOU magazine visiting her school.
Olhaus’s classmates are also excited. “There is only one word, to tell you how I feel about Chad coming: ECSTATIC,” said fellow-learner Melissa Magua. “I actually can’t believe it, I’m still in shock.”
Classmate Karishma Naran added: “Who would have thought she would be so lucky as to meet the man of her dreams and get to spend time with him on a day she has waited for her whole life.” - Cape Argus