Born in Bloemfontein, Neethling attended Grey College, where he excelled in swimming, earning a place in the South African swimming team for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta; he has since been lauded as one of the most accomplished swimmers to come out of the South African ranks.
He currently holds the South African record in the 200, 400, 800 and 1 500m freestyle events and up until August 2006 held the 4x100m freestyle relay world record.
Chairman of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation SA, Morné du Plessis, said: “We are really excited to welcome Ryk to the Laureus stable. Ryk has proved himself to be more than just a triumphant sportsman.
“He has been an inspiration to swimmers across the country, understanding the importance of nurturing talented sportsmen and essentially playing a vital role as a mentor to champion swimmers Chad le Clos and Cameron van den Berg.
“Ryk epitomises the Laureus philosophy, we are really excited to have him on board.” says Morné du Plessis, Chairman of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.”
“It’s a massive honor for me to be named a Laureus ambassador – on par with the privilege of being an Olympian. Not every Olympic gold medalist is invited to become part of this elite organisation. It shows that you’ve achieved more than just a win but have done something significant with it, and it is my goal to use my influence for good,” said Neethling.
Source: African News Agency (ANA)
