ACTION HERO

WHETHER IT’S LEADING THE SPRINGBOKS TO GLOBAL VICTORY, LEADING THE FIGHT AGAINST HUNGER AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE, OR PUSHING FOR BETTER EDUCATION FOR THE NEXT GENERATION, SIYA KOLISI PUTS IN THE WORK

- Nkosiyati Khumalo

BEING A PERSON WITH EVEN A SMALL AMOUNT OF NOTORIET or “fame” is exhausting. What you see on Instagram, in gossip magazines or on TV is just a fraction of what transpires. And for every style choice, every restaurant visited, every appearance made, every speech given, there are a thousand messages, hundreds of emails, too many texts to count, and conversations had that go into every decision. And each one affects the next. That, of course, is all on top of the work it takes to do the thing for which you’re famous. If you’re an athlete, that’s the extreme physical and mental cost of getting to – and staying at – the top of your game. You’re travelling the world, always bouncing between hotel beds, separated from those you love for weeks at a time, watching your children grow up through a screen. The highs are often rewarding and unforgettable, but the lows are challenging at best and terrible at worst. Yet you learn to deal with those in your stride because that’s your job – and through it all, you find ways to stay motivated and keep pushing forward.

Imagine living with all of that, the most lovely of challenges – and reaping the fruits of your labour by winning the Rugby World Cup. Surely after dominating that virtual Everest of trophy-chasing summits, you can take it easy? Not quite. Now you’re suddenly one of the most marketable faces and personas in the country – and more than ever, everyone wants you everywhere, and at the same time. Take two hours and see your family, but then we have an appearance scheduled here and signing here, and then we have to discuss the new sponsorship deal, and… you get the idea.