Chasing Tokyo: Our latest kayak hope

He was born and raised in South Africa and has only been living on the Gold Coast for a year, but this athlete dreams of representing Australia at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

HE was born and raised in South Africa and has only been living on the Gold Coast for a year, but Jean van der Westhuyzen dreams of representing Australia at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The 20-year-old kayaker always wanted to move overseas in search of a better life, and now he is on the verge of becoming an Australian citizen and living out his boyhood dream of competing at the Games.

The Bond University commerce student hopes his family will soon join him in Australia to start a new chapter together.

“South Africa is an amazing country but has always had its problems and from a young age I knew it wasn’t going to be the place for me, and Australia seemed like a great place to move,” said van der Westhuyzen.

New Gold Coast kayaker Jean van der Westhuyzen. Picture: CAVAN FLYNN

“There is a lot of crime and discrimination in South Africa and I always wanted to live in a different country.”

The talented paddler is in the process of gaining his Australian citizenship while training alongside his childhood hero, Gold Coast Olympic gold medallist Ken Wallace.

Van der Westhuyzen would stay up until the early hours of the morning in his home town of Franschhoek, just outside Cape Town, to watch Wallace and other Australians compete.

Now he trains alongside them at Varsity Lakes, in the hopes of competing with them in the green and gold at the Tokyo Olympics.

Van der Westhuyzen qualified for the Australian men’s senior team with three silver medals and a bronze at last week’s national titles.

“I’ve been following the squad that trains here on the internet for a long time through social media,” he said.

“It felt like a dream (to train with them). I never felt like I could actually do it -- that I could come here, study and train with the squad is unbelievable.

“To be among the guys I’ve looked up to and watched racing at an Olympics would be the pinnacle.

New Gold Coast kayaker Jean van der Westhuyzen. Picture: CAVAN FLYNN

“I was staying up in South Africa until 2am watching Kenny Wallace - he’s a three-time Olympic gold medalist, multiple world champion.

“Now I’m fortunate to be in the same squad as him.

“It’s been my childhood dream to go to the Olympics - it would be an absolute honour. Just to get there would be great.

“I’m going through a process now where I’m trying to fast-track my citizenship, which is another thing to focus on.

“Although kayaking is a huge part of my life, the move to Australia was also in search of a better life and opportunity.

“Everyone has been supportive of my move to Australia.

“It is not just about kayaking, I am coming here to start a new life.”