Mr Zack Enslin, a PhD student and senior lecturer in the Department of Financial Management has successfully tackled the challenging aQuellé Midmar Mile with his colleagues, who are also supervising his doctoral studies.

Mr Enslin wanted to realise his dream of successfully completing the Midmar Mile, but did not want to swim in the main individual event that takes place on a Sunday, due to religious reasons. The idea then came to approach the supervisors of his PhD study, as both also swim as part of their exercise routines.

Together with Prof John Hall and Dr Elda du Toit, Mr Enslin formed part of the corporate team ‘FM PhD’, alluding to Financial Management PhD. “The allure of completing a physical challenge when also engaged in the mental challenge of a PhD study served as further encouragement,” says Mr Enslin. 

Team FM PhD finished in the 90th position out of 261 corporate teams that successfully completed the race. This is what they had to say after the race:

“It was a wonderful experience, the rush of adrenaline at the start, but even more rewarding, the feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction at the finish line! It was an experience with my colleagues that I will cherish for a very long time!” – Prof John Hall (29 minutes and 43 seconds)

“I completed one Midmar Mile before, but it was still nerve wrecking at first, when you arrive at the venue, to see the distance you have to swim, as well as the large number of swimmers in the water. However, afterwards it feels wonderful to have overcome such a challenge. Doing it in a team also made the experience more memorable.” – Dr Elda du Toit (38 minutes and 26 seconds)

“I am thankful for the opportunity to complete the Midmar Mile challenge with my supervisors. Having fellow team members preparing and participating with you served as a huge motivational factor. Informal discussions between team members before and after the event added so much to the experience. It is wonderful to complete a challenge of a different kind with my supervisors, allowing us to work together on a different level and to understand each other better.” – Mr Zack Enslin (38 minutes and 34 seconds)