Field Hockey
Photo Credit: Supplied

Onthatile “Thati” Zulu is a rising star in field hockey with her sights set on the Olympics; she is perfecting her training and working hard to fly the South African flag!

 

South Africa (09 July 2024) – Onthatile “Thati” Zulu is a field hockey rising star with a bright future in the sport. Having landed a major sponsor to boost her career, Thati has spent a great deal of time perfecting her field game at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Centre (APC) nestled in the heart of Austria, just outside Salzburg.

Since joining the growing number of South African athletes in getting major sponsorship, she has receieved support and resources that will supercharge her sporting prowess. She has been training hard, with her sights set on the future.

“I got picked up every morning from the hotel to the APC. On some days I had breakfast before my first session, other days I had to skip breakfast to get accurate results from my testing. I usually had 4 to 5 sessions per day, which were spread out quite nicely.”

“It varied quite a lot,” shares Zulu. “I also had some physiotherapy sessions to treat some of my muscles that were fatigued throughout the testing. My day usually ended around 17:00.”

Focus on the physical is a major part of any athletes career. For Thati, her ankle strength has been a place where she has needed to focus more, especially to prevent injury which could be detremental to her career.

With the Olympics around the corner, the trip has been a hugely beneficial one for Thati.

“I’ve been adding exercises to my current programme to prevent any injuries and to make sure I’m in form by the time the Olympics come,” Zulu explained. 

“The team was so helpful and had my best interests at heart,” she said. “It was cool to work with people who wanted to push you to your limit and saw potential in you. I felt like I could do anything with the support they had given me. They also gave me tips that I’ve been able to take back home.”

She is excited to revolutionise her training program back home in South Africa. Its all looking bright and promsing! Well done Thati!

“I’ve already started using some of the exercises and techniques they’ve given me (based on the testing) and I have modified certain things in my programme to make sure it’s best suited for me to improve gradually,” she explained.

This proactive approach highlights her dedication to continuous improvement and excellence in her sport.


Sources: Supplied
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About the Author

Tyler Leigh Vivier is a writer for Good Things Guy.

Her passion is to spread good news across South Africa with a big focus on environmental issues, animal welfare and social upliftment. Outside of Good Things Guy, she is an avid reader and lover of tea.

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