Cape Town - Arriving home to an airport full of love and support from locals including the surfing community and the children’s choir from an organisation she’s involved with was the best moment of her life, Olympic silver medallist Bianca Buitendag said.
Returning from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Buitendag arrived at George Airport on Saturday morning.
“It was the best moment of my life quite honestly.
“I got back to my hometown with the surf community standing at the airport and the NGO I’m involved in organised for the kiddies choir to perform a song as I walked out the airport’s doors.
“I just burst into tears for 20 minutes.
“Because that is essentially the reason I surf – to try to improve the life of someone else – so that is the next chapter in my life,” she said.
Going up against the world’s best, the 27-year-old surprised many including herself, when she bagged the country’s second medal in the very first Women’s Surfing event at the Olympic Games.
“It was way out of my expectations. I was just so happy to qualify to go to the Olympics and represent South Africa.
“Just to have that experience… then never mind making some heats and then eventually making it to the final.
“Just being there I felt like I was dreaming, then coming home with a silver medal and bringing good news to South Africa at quite a difficult time.
“So I just felt like I was really where I needed to be and I was just concluding the purpose that God had in store for me through sport.
“I felt like I was crossing the finishing line and looking at Him straight in the eyes,” she said.
Retiring from her competitive career, Buitendag said she was content as she would now be focused on her work with a Christian NGO called Life Community Services in George.
“I have been involved since high school, so that’s a good 10 years but now without event schedules I’ll be involved more permanently.
“I am more excited about this than anything… it is the next chapter in my life and I’m trying to use all the exposure I get to channel towards support for them.
“We are building a school next year and we are busy with fundraising, so if anyone is interested, look them up on Google to see how you can help.”
The organisation can be found at www.lifecommunity.co.za
Cape Times