Durban - Having always dreamt of wearing the “green and gold” as a teenager, nothing could stop Tyrone Pillay from achieving his goal - not even being born with a deformed left leg and being fitted with a prosthetic at just 10 months old.
Relaxing in his sea-facing eManzimtoti apartment, Pillay, 38, eagerly opens up about his life, past, present and future.
Born and raised in Reservoir Hills, he described his birth as a “very interesting” time for his family.
“Back then nobody knew about all these fancy 3D and 4D scans, so obviously when I was delivered the doctor only then discovered there was something ‘different’ about me.
They noticed I had a shortened left leg in comparison to my right leg,” he said.
“I always hear the story how the doctors rushed me away and my mum did not even get to see me.
"When she asked what was wrong they said they picked up the deformity. As any mother would be worried or concerned, she cried.
"But today, if you ask them about their response at the time, they would tell you that they did not know why they shed those tears, ‘Look at him now’,” laughed Pillay.
Growing up, he lived a fairly normal life and enjoyed spending his days playing with his elder brother, Nolan, who never noticed that things were different with him until it was time to start school.
“Life soon become tough. I started school at the age of 6. I used to wear long pants while the other boys wore shorts and then they would question me.
"So I remember picking up my pants the one day and that is when it all started. Little did I know what it would cause. The children started mocking me, and they would call me ‘wooden-leg’, ‘freak’, and ‘pirate’, so it was tough,” said Pillay.
Asked how he coped, he said it was with the help of his grandmother, Mugalutchmee.
“She was a wise woman. I don’t think I would have been able to handle the taunting if it were not for her.
"She would always comfort me and make me feel better about myself. She once told me, ‘They are just kids, don’t hold what they say against them and it’s not like you can hate them for the rest of your life’.”
Pillay said when he reached high school, he was bitten by the “sports bug” and dreamt of wearing the green and gold blazers that historically were awarded to teams and individuals representing South Africa in international competition of any sport.
“But not for shot-put as many would assume, rather cricket,” he explained.
“I was more confident and was interacting with more people. It was also during this time that I developed this love and passion for cricket.
"All I dreamt of was playing it professionally and for our country. I spent 14 years playing the sport, for teams such as the White Knights, Reservoir Hills Cricket Club and then joined the Reservoir Hills Crimson Cricket Club.
"Those were the best days but after a while I realised that I could not take it any further as I could not get selected for the South African team. So I decided to look at other sporting codes.”
“It was in 2007 that my cricket career came to an end, but I still had that dream to be a South African sportsman. I spent some time coaching cricket, even the women’s team, but I just wanted to be the one playing, not on the sidelines.”
It was in 2008 while watching the Paralympic Games in Beijing, China, that he was “blown” away by all the amazing people participating - some running with prosthetics, some blind and some in wheelchairs”, he said.
“I felt this was what I needed to do and I would be accepted for who I really am.”
Trying to decide what sporting code he would embark on, Pillay realised his immense strength and decided he could use that power in shot-put.
“It was weird at first as I did not know the techniques, so I decided to watch how-to videos on YouTube. I literally taught myself.
“In 2010 I sought the assistance of Dr Kevin Subban, an Olympics-doctor, who put together a team consisting of a dietitian, strength and conditioning coach and physiotherapist, who put together a regime, that I follow to date, which I must admit has become more intense over the years,” he said.
Although he did not qualify for the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, Pillay had his sights set on the Beijing games four years down the line.
“It was my ultimate goal to make the 2016 Paralympic Games; it was something you want to do as a sportsman. I knew I had to qualify and was excited when I did. From there everything became so amazing.”
He said the best feeling during the games was the support he received.
“There was an outpour of messages from people back home and family. It makes a big difference, especially when you’re alone in a foreign country.”
Looking at photos on his wall of his wedding day, Pillay cannot help but smile and talk about his strong bond with his family, including wife Mriga Moodliar-Pillay.
“Throughout my life and career, my late dad, Teddy Pillay, and mum, Suzy, have been my role models, my heroes.
"It is my parents who gave me the freedom to pursue my dreams and never let me believe in defeat. I also had the extra support from my wife, brother, and younger sister, Meriska,” he said.
“Family to me, is everything. I often stay over at my home in Reservoir Hills with my mum and sister at least two nights a week or visit my brother and nephews, Aidan, 12, and Riley, 8, when I am in Johannesburg.
"I love being around family and miss them when we are apart. However, with latest technology we get to FaceTime.
Besides his family, two organisations that he has worked closely with for over past five years, mean a lot to him.
“When I lost my dad to lung cancer over a decade ago, and my mum was diagnosed with lymph node and breast cancer in 2015, I realised that I had to help those in need in whatever possible way,” he said.
“Since 2013 I have been working closely as the ambassador for the Mkhuhla Cansa Care Home and the Jumping Kids organisation which provides prosthetic limbs for children.”
Asked about a typical day for him, Pillay, who holds a BCom degree in business management and information technology from the then University of Durban-Westville, said it involved getting ready for work, as an IT projects manager at Toyota, then heading to the gym.
His intense training routine includes three days at the gym, three days on the track and one Pilates session a week.
“When my wife and I do get some time off from our busy schedules, we enjoy going down to the beach - she enjoys surfing - or we play tennis, go out for lunch or supper but more often cook together and watch movies,” he said.
“We try to spend as much time together as I am out of the country quite often due to work commitments or sporting events.”
Pillay is currently training and getting ready for the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
It may be his last major competition before retiring.
“My plan after the 2016 games was to retire as it has never been about winning but rather leaving a legacy. However, many have asked me to do the 2020 games, so I decided as I am getting older, I should go for it one last time,” he said.
“I will be heading to Denmark in July to meet and train with my coach, shot-put record-holder Jackie Christiansen, for a month.
"Then I will head to Tokyo later this year to prepare myself for the games in terms of getting used to the weather conditions. It is really humid at that time of the year, so I would need to condition my body.”
Pillay also hopes to release his first book in the near future.
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