WOMAN ON A MISSION
Living up to her legacy, Keegan Hunt is tackling new milestones every day By Robin Adams | Photography: Skhu Nkomphela
M
ovie buffs will well know that the name Hunt is linked to the lead characters of a number of Hollywood blockbuster flicks. It’s always Hunt to the rescue or Hunt saving the day. The name is synonymous with strength and heroism in a land of high-priced fiction. In the real world, it’s also a name with gravitas. Especially in South African football circles. Chances are Gavin Hunt, one of the most recognisable names in coaching in Mzansi, has been in charge of your favourite club at some point. The former Bidvest Wits and Kaizer Chiefs boss earns his money with Chippa United in Gqeberha these days. Football has long been a staple in the Hunt house. So it’s no surprise then that daughter Keegan’s love for the sport has its origins there, and at a young age. Her grandfather is John ‘Budgie’ Byrne, former Crystal Palace and West Ham United footballer, and England international. Byrne was a deadly striker for the London clubs and continued his career in South Africa for the now defunct Durban City in the early 1970s. He later became manager of that club before heading up Cape-based side Hellenic. Football and the Hunt family are inextricably linked. “Football was always naturally going to be a part of my life,” chuckles a 23-year-old Hunt,
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whose twin sister Kaitlin is just as passionate about the beautiful game. “We’re always chatting football; we bounce ideas. She has a lot of football knowledge. She could be a journalist or a football commentator. We’re always watching the games and talking formations.” Match days are incredibly tense occasions at the Hunt headquarters, mainly because allegiances are so divided. The
battle lines are properly drawn. “There are family feuds in the house when the football’s on. We all have our own separate TVs,” she laughs. And that’s no understatement when loyalties look like this: Dad — Unknown, but his children joke that he’s a closet Manchester United supporter Mum — West Ham United Keegan — Liverpool Kaitlin — Arsenal.
