Calvyn Justus

2018 Commonwealth Games - South African Bronze Medal medley relay team splits: Brad Tandy (49.70), Chad le Clos (50.10), Cameron van der Burgh (59.20), Calvyn Justus (55.79)

Calvyn Justus was born on 14 December 1995 in Benoni, and later moved to Durban, where he attended Westville BHS and matriculated in 2013. His coach at Westville BHS was Graham Hill.

Calvyn swam at the 2014 Commonwealth Games where he won a silver medal in the 4x100, and bronze in the 4x200 freestyle relay - although he only swam in the qualifying team during the heats for both events. 

In December 2017 Justus won the 100 backstroke at South Africa’s Commonwealth Games Trials with a time of 55.57.

At the 2018 Commonwealth Games, his split in the 4x100 medley relay bronze medal-winning team was 55:79. 

At the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games he was part of the South African 4x200 freestyle relay that finished in 10th place.

I joined my first swimming club at 10 or 11. It was, and still is, the best club in the country, and I’m still with them – Seagulls Swimming. I train under head coach Graham Hill, and he got me to the level I am today.’

Hill wasn’t his only inspiration, as Justus’s mom was once a provincial swimmer. It also helps when you have parents willing to wake up at 4 am to get you to training every day before school. ‘I have unbelievably supportive parents,’ he says.

Men’s 4 x 100 Medley Relay Time Trial

April 15th, 2016 

What an amazing performance from the four Olympic hopefuls as it brought the crowd to their feet, with the South African team finishing in 3:33.80, well under the required 3:34.70. Christopher Reid opted out the men’s 200m backstroke to lead off this relay with a 53,52 before Cameron van der Burgh took over in the breaststroke to split an encouraging 58,95 and handed over to Chad le Clos for the butterfly leg. Le Clos kept the pace going with a quick 51,59 to hand over to the younger Calvyn Justus in the freestyle – the man who won last night only to find out he had to fill this berth. Justus served his place on the anchor 49,74.

https://swimswam.com/south-africa-men-time-trial-sa-day-6/ 

CALVYN JUSTUS IS A MAN WITH A PLAN (INTERVIEW)

9 December 2015

Embedded within the South African contingent headed to the Netherlands for the Amsterdam Cup this weekend is rising star Calvyn Justus, a 19-year-old freestyle specialist who is striving to make a name for himself both in and out of the pool.

We featured one of Justus’ on-deck talents, that of artistic and informative vlogging by sharing his YouTube video adventure to Dubai and Doha as part of this year’s FINA World Cup circuit. The visual journey is just one of the many mini-features Justus has produced, which span subjects from swimming to travelling to art, all housed in his own YouTube channel.

In the aquatic realm of life, Justus is inching more and more toward the upper ranks of the international swimming scene, earning two relay medals at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and, most recently, making his first World Cup final in Doha.  Justus wound up finishing 8th in that men’s 200m freestyle final, but he plans on using that accomplishment as a springboard to move his way up the swim food-chain, with his eyes ultimately on a South African Olympic roster berth.

On the cusp of moving into the elite layers of international swimming, Justus has seen his times steadily improve, most notably in his 200m freestyle.  Within a span of less than 2 years, Justus knocked almost 3 seconds off of his LCM personal best, dropping it from 1:52.37 in 2013 to a sub-1:50 mark of 1:49.58 at this summer’s All-Africa Games. Justus is ranked within the top 5 in his country in the 200m freestyle and is currently positioned as the 2nd-swiftest 400m freestyler in South Africa.

In an exclusive interview with SwimSwam, Justus reveals what drew him to the sport of swimming, how the athletic environment is faring in his home country of South Africa, as well as who and what drives him to success in all facets of life.

Retta: Tell readers a brief history of your swimming background; when you started; when you knew you were “good”; what events you specialize in; where you train and with whom.

Justus: I first started swimming at my middle school around year 5, I was actually told I had to attend after-school lessons if I wanted to make the team as I was a weak swimmer, a year or so after that I was then told I was too advanced for the after school lessons and I should consider joining a swimming club. I joined my first club called NDSA and that’s where I guess you could say I started taking the sport very seriously and my dreams of the Olympics were planted in my mind. I began as a backstroker yet I later made the switch to freestyle. I swam for NDSA until I began high school at Westville Boys High School, the highest-ranked swimming school in South Africa. At this point I believed in order to take my swimming to the next level I needed to join arguably the best coach and swimming program in our country, Graham Hill, head coach of Seagulls Swimming Club, So in year 8 (14 years old)  I made the transition and I have swum for Graham with my Seagulls team mates ever since!

Retta: Describe your swimming personality.  Are you a fierce competitor? A laid-back saboteur? A high-energy, always amped-up athlete?

Justus: I think I’m a bit of everything but if I had to go with the most dominant trait I’d have to say I’m fairly laid back. I like to keep calm and collected before races, I don’t really like thinking about the race too much, I just kinda go out there and let my ‘instinct’ take over.

Retta: What is your most memorable achievement in the pool?

Justus: I would say winning a silver and bronze medal in the 100m and 200m freestyle relays at the 2014 Commonwealth Games my highest achievement to date.

Retta: Whom do you look up to in terms of swimming idols? Athletic idols overall?

Justus: I’m not sure I idolize any swimmers but ra I have huge amounts of respect for them, I have a lot of respect for my national team mates and I really respect some of the more humble swimmers that are Olympians and world champions. I say I don’t idolise any as it’s getting to the point now where I have to try my best to start competing and trying to beat them.

Retta: What drives your motivation? How do you keep yourself to keep grinding day in, day out?

Justus: Without a doubt its my hunger to make the Olympic team, It’s all I’ve ever wanted and dreamt of. The Olympic games is my sole focus and goal and I think once anyone is aware of a dream/goal its relatively easy to stay motivated and dedicated to achieving that goal.

Retta: Describe your YouTube Channel.  What do you post?  How often? Who is your audience?  Does it tie in with your swimming? Do your YouTube efforts reflect where you see yourself headed after your swimming career?

Justus: I’ve always had a huge passion for the arts and creation. I became very intrigued with graphic art/design in high school. In my final year I discovered the term ” YouTuber” and thought it’d be pretty fun to give it a try, My first few videos, well a lot really, were quite awful. It took me a while to find my footing and kind of decide what content I wanted to create. It wasn’t until this year really that I started getting more sure of my content and felt like it's starting to get on track, I still have loads to learn and figure out but I’m happy with the direction it's leading. I try to incorporate a large amount of my swimming life, especially when we travel to big meets etc. I get some really positive feedback from aspiring young swimmers and that really motivates me to keep creating these videos. I also create some more passion-driven and artsy stuff as well, there’s a lot going on, on my channel but I love expressing all my passions and interests in one place. Content creation and filmmaking is definitely what I want to pursue after my swimming career however at the moment they seem to be merging together quite nicely.

Retta: Any comments on South African swimming funding? Word is the federation is pretty stingy with $ and travel reimbursement.  How does this affect you, both on a practical level, but also on an emotional level?

Justus: It’s no secret our country battles with funding, It can obviously get pretty demotivating at times but they’re really trying to step it up lately, I really do appreciate the support we are being given and a lot of new opportunities have been created for us as of late. There are definite signs of improvement.

https://swimswam.com/south-africas-calvyn-justus-man-plan-interview/