A day in the life of a South African Olympic athlete

At 22, Lythe Pillay stands at the forefront of South African athletics, a two-time Olympian, and one of the country’s most promising 400-metre runners.

His rise from local school tracks in Benoni to the world stage, boasting a personal best of 44.31 seconds, is a testament to discipline, persistence, and an unshakable belief in his potential.

Apart from competing in two Olympic Games, Pillay has clinched gold at the 2019 CAA African Championships, the 2022 World U20 Championships, and the 2025 World University Games, among others.

Balancing academics with elite sport, he continues his online university studies in accounting at the University of Johannesburg, even while traveling for competitions.

His training schedule is punishing, with gym sessions, track workouts, and recovery treatments filling nearly every hour.

Speaking to Newsday, he reflected on his journey so far, and his vision for a gold-filled future.

Early life of a future athlete

Born in 2003, Pillay grew up in Benoni with his mother, who remains an anchor in his life. He was introduced to athletics in grade one, alongside soccer and cricket.

“I am someone who is quite keen on sport,” he recalls, remembering how athletics stood out even at a young age.

Between grades one and four, he competed in school meets but often fell short at district level, a reality that pushed him to train independently.

With his mother working irregular hours for an airline, private coaching was hard to arrange. “I just started running up and down the road in our complex… I did this for a year with a stopwatch in my hand,” he said.

That persistence paid off by grade seven, when he qualified for district competitions in the 100m and 200m sprints, and the hurdles.

That same year, he began collecting medals at national-level competitions, setting the stage for a serious commitment to athletics.

A turning point came when Pillay drew inspiration from South African sprint hero Wayde van Niekerk, who broke the 400m world record at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

“Seeing what he accomplished sort of made that vision or that dream for me seem a lot more attainable,” Pillay said.

Van Niekerk’s success provided a tangible example that a South African athlete could compete at the highest level, fueling Pillay’s ambition.

In grade seven, Pillay was identified by a scout from King Edward VII School (KES) in Johannesburg.

That recognition led to a scholarship, where he was introduced to the 400m, the event that would ultimately define his athletics career.

“I never really did a very explosive start… but could hold a faster pace relatively longer than most. So that’s pretty much the recipe you need for 400,” he explained.

From there, he quickly started breaking records at the over 120-year-old school, even in events he had never competed in.

After initially being coached by KES’ athletics coach, Pillay realised that consistent practice, not just in-season effort, was key.

In grade nine, he partnered with coach Lindi du Plessis, who has guided him ever since.

In 2019, as a Grade 10 student, he won gold at the African Youth Championships (400m) as a junior athlete, establishing early international success and momentum toward senior levels.

Tokyo Olympics and school balance

Pillay’s qualification for the Tokyo Olympics came after a series of standout performances in the senior national circuit, including participating in World Relays and achieving times that met the Olympic qualifying standard.

Despite being in matric, he had already demonstrated he could compete at the senior level, earning a spot on South Africa’s Olympic relay squad.

“Qualifying for the Olympics while still in matric was surreal. It all happened so quickly,” he recalls, reflecting on setbacks like a lung operation in 2019 and the disruption of the COVID-19 lockdown.

Despite the pressure, Pillay approached the experience with a level head, guided by his coach and agent.

“They told me to go into the Olympics with the mindset to enjoy the moment, not put too much pressure on myself, not be intimidated by the lineup,” he says.

Balancing rigorous training with academics, Pillay relied on hostel life at school to fit both, resulting in him receiving academic colours.

“Majority of the time I was actually back in time for both prep sessions… over the weekends, if there were subjects I needed extra work with, I dedicated time,” he said.

Even during international competitions, including trips to Europe and the Olympics in Tokyo while still in matric, Pillay maintained his academic performance.

“I went for extra classes after school to try to catch up with all the work I missed.”

Post-school career and achievements

Pillay’s approach to balancing academics and athletics reflects his mother’s philosophy: “Sports is short. It’s very unpredictable… study now, so at least you have something to fall back on.”

This influenced his choice to pursue university studies alongside a professional athletics career.

Initially aiming for medicine, he shifted to an online accounting degree at UJ, which accommodates his training and international competition schedule.

“At least now I’m not cutting my trip short because I have to go back to class and study… and I’m also not sacrificing my academics in the process.”

Sports wise, a breakthrough came in 2022, claiming gold at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia, earning him Athletics South Africa U20 Male Athlete of the Year.

Pillay quickly transitioned to senior success. He clocked a career-best 44.31 seconds at the South African Athletics Championships in 2024, qualifying him for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

In his second Olympic appearance in Paris, he reached the semi-finals of his 4x400m heat.

The following year, 2025, proved landmark. He claimed gold in the 400m at the World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany, posting 44.84 seconds.

Then he helped South Africa secure bronze in the 4x400m relay at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, finishing in a photo-finish alongside hero Wayde van Niekerk.

A day in the life

For Lythe, training is sacred and academics, non-negotiable.

Monday is typically his longer track session. Tuesday and Thursday are reserved for physiotherapy, ozone treatments, and strength maintenance.

Wednesdays and Fridays are double sessions: gym in Pretoria, track in Boksburg, warm-up and cool-down included.

Evenings are for academics. “Normally, if I’m at training, I’m focusing on training, and then once I’m at home, if I’m busy with work, I’m busy with work. I do separate the two as much as I can,” he explains.

Sundays are the rare days off, a pause to recover, reflect, and reset.

Looking ahead, Pillay’s advice to aspiring athletes emphasises discipline, hard work, and self-belief.

“Athletics is one of the very few sports where what you put in is what you get out… if you want to be someone, you have to be willing to do more than others are willing to do,” he says.

“South Africa has one of the best pools of talent for athletics. Our future looks very bright.”