Get It - Dec 2012

girl
The
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At home
Her mom’s house in Meerensee is
her home-base, but Bridgitte spends
a lot of time travelling, training and
making guest appearances at events.
‘I miss my mom’s home-cooked
meals the most, especially the roast
chicken and vegetables. And when
I’m home I like to spend time visiting
friends and family,’ she says.
She has two half brothers, Luke
(13) and Bryce (11) who live in
George and who she hopes to spend
Christmas with this year.
When it comes to relationships,
Bridgitte just smiles and explains
that it was difficult to maintain a
relationship when she travelled so
much and her training schedule is
also hectic.
But there have been a few date
requests since winning at the
Olympics she confesses, but finds it
all a bit amusing.
Frilly, girlie dresses have never been her
style, but now that she is an Olympic
superstar, Bridgitte Hartley confesses she
does like to dress up.
The 29-year-old blonde Richards Bay
beauty has become a celebrity overnight
after winning a bronze medal in the K1
500m final at the London Olympics.
Born in Sandton on 14 July 1983,
Bridgitte started school at Glenstantia
Primary School in Pretoria.
After her parents separated, she moved
to Empangeni with her mom Vera and
brother Sean and attended Grantham
Park Primary.
She remembers playing netball and
taking part in athletics and gymnastics.
But surfing was her favourite pastime
and she represented Zululand in the SA
junior and senior championships.
'I still surf for fun. It gives me a break
from training and it’s social,' she says.
Bridgitte remembers her first job which
was not a glamorous one - she painted
houses.
'My mom was an estate agent, so my
brother and I used to help her paint
for extra money. I was saving for a new
surfboard,' she says with a grin.
'I was always hanging out at the beach.
Favourite clothing: Comfy jeans and leather jacket
Best book: Spud
Favourite TV programme: Sports channels
Family pet: Cara the dog
Signature dish: Chocolate cupcakes
Weakness: Pizza and chocolate
I would get up early to surf so I wasn't
keen on sleepovers as none of my friends
ever wanted to wake up early.'
Ironically, she never made the swim
team at school, but spent school holidays
working as a lifeguard at Alkantstrand
to earn extra money while she was
studying.
Fondly known as 'Nooks' to her mom,
Bridgitte was not a shy child and her
family knew she would perform when
she was older, they just didn't know to
what audience.
She started her high school career at
John Ross College, but two years later
moved back to Pretoria to Pretoria Girls’
High.
'My dad thought it would be a good
idea for me to attend the school as it had
a wide variety of sports and house plays.
I went on to matriculate there.'
It was then that Bridgitte started
paddling with her dad, completing
just one Dusi canoe marathon as she
preferred sprint canoeing.
At Pretoria University she enrolled
for a Bachelor of Science degree, but
confesses she failed chemistry and
decided to take up Human Movement
Science instead.
10 Get It Zululand December 12