Fifteenth International Conference on Sport & Society

Abstract

South Africa’s National Sport and Recreation Plan includes 23 universities that have become hubs for Olympic student-athletes who enter the latter phase of long-term athlete development. Requirements placed on Olympic athletes in contemporary world sport are such that they need to dedicate themselves to reach the pinnacle if they are to achieve excellence. Few Olympic athletes are sufficiently financially rewarded for making a living from their sport, and even fewer can rely on measures that may have been put in place in their countries to assist with financial and psychological impacts of their eventual retirement. This emphasises the need for athletes to either have dual careers or prepare for post-athletic careers while still participating at the highest level of sport. This study develops an understanding of a cohort of Olympic athletes in higher education regarding the simultaneous development of their academic and sporting careers. A qualitative interpretive research design was used. Purposeful sampling included 15 South African Olympic athletes. Data were obtained using ten semi-structured interviews from four sporting codes: track and field, swimming, hockey and rowing. The study showed that Olympic athletes have more than dual careers to balance. Financial obligations make a successful dual career challenging. Travelling demands are also a major burden on athletes. Time management is crucial when Olympians have loaded training, travelling, and academic schedules.