Christopher Hendricks is a learner at Wemmershoek Primary School in the beautiful Franschhoek area.

Christopher and his supportive parents live humbly, but a lack of resources at home and school has never dampened his will to succeed. His school does not have proper sports facilities but Christopher uses the tarred road that leads up to the school entrance as his running track, measuring the distance and his times diligently. Despite this lack of facilities or coaching assistance, he won the 100 metre and 150 metre races at the Boland Athletics Championships, followed by winning the same two distances at the Western Province Championships where the competition was even stronger. But the best was yet to come… At the National Championships in Port Elizabeth he came 4th in both the 100 metres and 150 metres, as well as coming second in the long jump. Quite extraordinary if you consider that his school doesn’t have a long jump pit! Christopher is now the 4th fastest boy in South Africa and the second best long jumper in the boys’ U-12 category. He has also been selected for the Boland Rugby Team.

His schoolwork is progressing well, and according to his principal he usually ends up in the “top five” in his grade. The Cape Wine Auction Trust is proud to support Wemmershoek Primary School which has nurtured this young man’s talents, despite the lack of resources and facilities available. They are so proud of him and believe that he truly lives his school’s motto, “Volhard en Oorwin” (“Persist and Conquer”)!