The 24-year-old Physio student (she is in her 4^th year doing her Community Service) has only been in the sport for 4 years but immediately made an impact. In 2005 in Hawaii she finished 36^th, a year later she had broken into the top 10 finishing 7^th at the World Championships in Switzerland and then 8^th in Hamburg a year later.

“I have worked hard on my swimming. Its my weakest link”, said the quiet spoken, yet confident youngster at the University Pretoria High Performance Centre (hpc) last week before here departure. Since joining Rocco Meiring at the hpc in 2006 she has brought her swim times down by a whopping 5-6min. That means she now covers the 1.5km swim leg in around 21 to 22 minutes.

“I have been working hard not only on the swim, but also on the transition phase as this where I can make up most of my time. I’m pretty competitive over the run and cycle legs.”

“This will be the last time I compete in the age group category, as of next year I will be competing in the Elite Category.”

It’s been a tough road to get to the World Championships. “We have to pay our own way. It’s hard. We needed R30 000 for the trip and without my new sponsors MWH and my father I would not have been able to make the trip to Vancouver.”

Carla’s results are quite impressive when one takes into consideration that she has a 9-hour working day, which she spends on her feet. Every morning she is up at 04h45 to go for her run or bike; by 07h30 she is at work (“I ‘m always a bit late… “she says with a giggle) until 16h00. Every Tuesday and Thursday she can then be seen at the hpc in the pool under the watchful eye of the triathlon swim coach Rocco Meiring. Weekends are then spent either racing or riding.

“I’m doing what I can now, just hanging on. Next year when I have finished with my Community Service, I will be able to rest more and do longer and harder sessions. Although I will never give up on my clients, I really love what I do.”

Her rise in South African triathlon has been nothing short of meteoric. She also competes in the Xterra series and knows she will have to make a decision soon where her focus will be, the regular triathlon or the Xterra series. For now she will focus on the Elite category. Whichever way she decides to go, it is clear that Carla Germishuys has a huge future ahead of her.