Triathlete, sponsor give back to Bay

Tough Ironman Schramm shows he has soft heart

GERMAN professional triathlete Till Schramm may not have won the Standard Bank Ironman African Championships in Port Elizabeth at the weekend, but he certainly won the hearts of scores of needy children and young development athletes in the city.

The 30-year-old father of two, who has built an impressive professional career from running, triathlon and duathlon, was forced to retire from the gruelling event on Sunday after he became ill.

Schramm was in an impressive 26th position out of a field of more than 2 000 competitors, and about 20km from the finish at the time.

But despite his bad fortune on the day, the Dubai-based athlete has made a positive impact on the lives of those less fortunate at the Khayalethu Children’s Home in North End in Port Elizabeth, which received a R13 000 donation from Schramm and his sponsor, Alpecin Caffeine Shampoo.

-Shaun Gillham