STEEPLECHASE
SPECIALIST
THE FASTEST MILER IN SOUTH AFRICA BY BUNTU GOTYWA
L
IFE CAN BE A BIT TOUGHER
for athletes having to juggle trying to be the best in their discipline while equally working on excelling academically. Those who have walked this path say that it is not easy but definitely not impossible, especially with the right support staff around you.
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BLUE AND GOLD ISSUE 8 2022
Twenty-five-year-old track star Ashley Smith knows this all too well. The 3000m steeplechase specialist recently graduated from the University of Western Cape (UWC) with a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in politics and history. The well-known runner’s athletic abilities have taken him across the globe. With his academic work behind
him, at least for now, Smith has set his sights on qualifying for the Olympic Games. The Games are still at least two years away and he is returning to serious training in March in preparation for competitive running. In the meantime, he’s been trying to keep physically and mentally fit by taking part in road running events.
photograph ©USSA/SKHU NKOMPHELA
