SA's Road to Rio: Zack Pointek

When a young boy is asked what he or she wants to be when they grow up, there are always the usual range of predictable answers like 'doctor', 'fireman', 'policeman' or 'racing driver'.

Not in young Zack Piontek's case. His immediate response at the tender age of five was "I want to be an Olympian."

"A wise man once told me: 'To be the best you must train harder than the best'", said the muscular giant with a smile. 

In April, Piontek had achieved his goal of qualifying to represent South Africa at the Olympic Games in Rio when he won a silver medal at the African Championship in Tunisia, accumulating enough ranking points to make the Olympic cut. Only the top 22 judokas in any category automatically qualify to compete in Rio.

Prior to that he had already steadily been accumulating world ranking points in the under-90kg weight class by winning the African Open title in Mauritius in 2013 and 2015, with a bronze in 2014. 

In arguably his biggest accomplishment to date - in what is considered by most to be a fringe sport in South Africa - Piontek won gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in Scotland, beating Scotland's Mathew Purssey in that final. 

The 2014 Commonwealth Games had been the first time in 12 years that judo was included in the Games' programme.

A bronze medal at the PanAm Open in Peru earlier this year and that silver in Tunis nudged him into the elite Olympic 22 by the closing date of 31 May.

It was a long journey for 25 year-old Piontek, who started his craft as a five year-old under the tutelage of his father. Having turned professional in 2009, he is presently under the watchful eyes of the 1992 Barcelona Olympian Nikola Filipov from Bulgaria, who coaches him at the Tuks High Performance Centre in Pretoria.

He had already shown great promise at the 2010 Commonwealth Championships in Singapore, where he won a gold medal as a junior and added two bronze medals in the senior categories.

Pointek rates self-discipline and prioritising as the major hallmarks of success he has developed under Filipov, but also combines it with the high levels of mental strength needed in a contact sport.

His coach underlined that mental strength and endurance and recalled how his charge fought through the pain barrier to taste success in Singapore six years ago.  

He had broken his wrist bone on the first day of the tournament, but refused to quit and went on to haul in three medals (1 gold, 2 bronze).

"There was no way that I was going to quit. I had to make the most of the opportunity to compete against the world's best," recalled Piontek.

Piontek says there are very few Olympic-standard judokas in his weight class in South Africa, which is a slight training drawback and he more often than not ends up fighting smaller guys, where the focus is more directed towards technique and speed.

His international travels and participation in his quest to accumulate world ranking points he describes as something of a 'lone crusade' strewn with personal sacrifices and no guarantees of success.

He is particularly praiseworthy of the role the HPC has played in his development as an elite athlete. 

In conjunction with the HPC, a cash-strapped Judo South Africa found in the Tuks HPC a very good ally and began a full time, sustainable judo programme.

It has certainly paid dividends and Zack Piontek is soon to accomplish his childhood dream of becoming an Olympian.

HIGHLIGHTS

Continental Championships -- 120

World Cups/Continental Open -- 302

European Cup Juniors -- 10

International Tournaments -- 100

28/04/2016 1st COMMONWEALTH CHAMPIONSHIPS PORT ELIZABETH CWC U90

08/04/2016 2nd  AFRICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS TUNIS AFC U90

06/03/2016 3rd PAN AMERICAN OPEN LIMA WCUP U90

08/11/2015 1st  AFRICAN OPEN PORT LOUIS WCUP U90

15/09/2015 3rd  AFRICAN GAMES BRAZZAVILLE AFC U90

19/07/2015 5th GRAND SLAM TYUMEN GSL U90

24/04/2015 2nd AFRICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS LIBREVILLE AFC U90

15/03/2015 7th AFRICAN OPEN CASABLANCA WCUP U90

18/01/2015 3rd  AFRICAN OPEN TUNIS WCUP U90

09/11/2014 3rd AFRICAN OPEN PORT LOUIS WCUP U90

26/07/2014 1st COMMONWEALTH GAMES GLASGOW CWG U90

26/06/2014 7th AFRICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS PORT LOUIS AFC U90

10/11/2013 1st AFRICAN OPEN PORT LOUIS WCUP U90

18/04/2013 5th AFRICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS MAPUTO AFC U90

23/02/2013 3rd PEDRO'S JUDO CHALLENGE WAKEFIELD IT U90

12/01/2010 3rd COMMONWEALTH CHAMPIONSHIPS SINGAPORE CWC U90

12/01/2010 3rd COMMONWEALTH CHAMPIONSHIPS SINGAPORE CWC OPENM

12/01/2010 1st COMMONWEALTH JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS SINGAPORE CWJC U90

04/10/2009 2nd JUNIOR TOUR U20 MUDANIA "ILIADIS U20 CUP" IJFJUN U90

10/09/2006 3rd HEART OF ENGLAND U18 CHAMPIONSHIPS BIRMINGHAM ITCAD U81

(Career stats courtesy of www.judoinside.com)

GET TO KNOW ZACK:

Were you coached by a professional coach when you started your career?

No. My dad was my first judo coach

What was the most valuable thing you learnt from your coach? 

Self-discipline and prioritizing

When did you turn professional? 2009. 

I was 18 years-old

What memorable moment comes to mind in your career? 

2008, I won the junior World Championship in Kurash. Kurash is a sport similar to judo, but not as big. I was fighting under the weight category of 90kg but was only weighing 85kg and I was 17 years old and the division is 17, 18 and 19 years of age. This means I was the youngest in the division and I was very light for the weight. But I still won... I am very proud about that day! And 2010 I won the junior division in commonwealth and broke a small bone in my wrist called a scaphoid that same day, but still it didn't stop me. The next day was the senior division of my weight where I came 3rd and the day after that was the senior open division where there is no weight restriction and I came 3rd there as well.

Favourite sportsperson to watch while you were growing up? 

Victor Matfield

What made you choose the sport you are currently participating in? 

My dad was the coach, so I started at the age of 5 and loved it ever since

Favourite cartoon as a kid? 

Looney Tunes

Favourite colour? 

Red

Favourite food before a big competition? 

Alfredo Pasta

Are you studying or working, if so doing what? 

Studying BCom Management and I am the beginner judo coach at Tuks

Favourite Music? 

Michael Bolton - Go the distance

When you were growing up what did you want to be? 

An Olympian

Your most treasured possession/s? 

My gold medal at junior World Kurash Champs

What do you normally eat for breakfast? 

FUTURELIFE

My last meal would be? 

Pizza

My signature dish is? 

Pizza

What I don't find amusing? 

People complaining about everything, but is not doing anything about it

Favourite holiday destination? 

Cape Town

Stranded on an island, what are your 3 essential items? 

Clothes, water and a knife

What would you buy with your last R50? 

Food

Apart from sport, what are your other interests? 

I love fishing, playing Xbox and enjoying a nice movie at the Cineplex

If you could change one thing in this world, what would it be? 

The attitude of accepting failure. You have the ability to change your own future

What drives you as an athlete? 

The passion I have to the cause. Ever since I can remember I wanted to be an Olympian. And a wise man told me once, to be the best you must train harder than the best.

(Courtesy of HPC)