The 16-year-old biathlon newcomer is swimming, sprinting, and storming his way towards national colours, plus a shot at World Championships.
Johannesburg, South Africa (31 July 2025) – When 16-year-old Joseph van der Merwe decided to dive into the world of biathlon earlier this year, he probably did not expect to be knocking on the door of national honours just a few races in. Fast forward a few months, and this speedy teen is already making a serious splash and sprint in the South African biathlon scene.
For those new to the sport, biathlon (the summer version, at least) combines running and swimming. Joseph competes in the sprint version: an 800m run, followed by a 200m swim, and wrapped up with another 800m dash. Sounds exhausting, but clearly a walk in the park for Joseph.
“My background is in swimming,” he says. “I made finals at the SA Schools and the SA Junior Nationals this year.”
But it seems excellence runs in the family. His father was a national-level biathlete and encouraged him to give it a go. And wow, he certainly delivered!
Joseph has only competed in three official biathlon races so far. In his debut, he came second. In his second race, he clinched the win and did it in a national qualifying time. His most recent outing was an action-packed weekend: on Friday, he raced for his school in a cross-country meet against DHS. Then, after hosting the visiting DHS boys, he hit the road to Nelspruit and, like the champ he is proving to be, won again. This time, with a time fast enough to qualify for the World Championships.
That event, by the way, is being hosted in Cape Town this December, and Joseph has a real shot at earning his full Protea colours and representing South Africa on home turf.
There is one catch. To seal his spot, Joseph must clock another qualifying time at the South African National Championships in September. Here’s the kicker: even though he is just 16, he is already competing in the senior men’s category.
But pressure does not seem to faze this rising star. With a blend of talent and serious pace both in water and on land, Joseph van der Merwe is racing toward something big. Keep an eye on this name.
Sources: Facebook
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