Australia fast-tracks citizenship for South African canoeist ahead of 2024 Olympics
Australia hopes Pierre van der Westhuyzen can win them gold in Paris…
If you want to get into Australia, one way to do it is become a potential Olympic team member! The Guardian newspaper has revealed in an exclusive today that South African canoeist Pierre van der Westhuyzen had his Aussie citizenship fast-tracked by the Australian government in a move which is rare but legal.
Pierre, who studies at Bond University, has only been in Australia since January 2020. Normally one can only apply for Australian citizenship after four years (which would be Jan 2024), and the process usually takes a further 10 months to complete. This would make it too late for Pierre to represent Australia at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
However the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) is allowed to lobby for fast-tracked citizenship thanks to a special residency provision in Australia’s citizenship act.
Pierre told the newspaper: “I realise how special this is. Not many people are getting their citizenship as quickly as I am and I’m really so glad I have the opportunity to represent Australia.”
Immigration minister Andrew Giles wrote in a letter to Parliament:
“The applicant is engaged in a sport at an elite level and, if an Australian citizen, may be selected to represent Australia at the Paris 2014 Summer Olympic Games… The applicant’s contribution to the sport may enhance Australia’s international reputation and provide inspiration and motivation to other athletes. I have decided it would be of benefit to Australia for this applicant to be an Australian citizen.”
Pierre – who is passionate about his sport and keen to emulate his older brother Jean’s success – has already passed his citizenship test.
At just 20, the South African expat is currently the youngest member of the Australian men’s sprint kayaking team, an honour he doesn’t take lightly.
Back in 2018, as a schoolboy at Michaelhouse in KZN, Pierre was already following his sporting dreams – representing South Africa at the Youth Olympic Games in Argentina.
This month the Gold Coast-based elite athlete told Paddle Australia: “Paddling has always been a sport that I’ve done, I started really early through school. Around the time when I moved over to Australia in 2020 was when I realised that this was something that I wanted to take really seriously.”
Bond University says he didn’t disappoint in his debut for the Australian canoe sprint team – bagging both a Silver and Bronze in the world cup in the Czech Republic.
Pierre says he has been inspired by his brother Jean (24), who won Gold for Australia in the 2020 Olympics.
“I got a lot of inspiration from Jean and seeing how well he had done when he came over to Australia and I made the decision then that this is something I could see in my future. Ever since then, in a sport like kayaking, the ultimate dream is the Olympics and I think the Olympic gold medal is the pinnacle of our sport… Paris is definitely a big goal for me,” he told Paddle Australia.
Of being on the Australian team, Pierre says: “It’s a huge privilege, I’m super lucky to be here and to have this opportunity. There’s so many people that would love to have this opportunity to be here, and to represent such a great country, and I’m just one of the people that’s lucky enough to do it.
“Every time I pull on the uniform that’s something I realise and that I’m grateful for. I love the opportunity to wear the green and gold.”
His inclusion is paying off. The team recently “topped the medal tally at the 2023 World Championships”, according to Paddle Australia.
The Guardian reports that a Russian wrestler and American water-polo player have also had their citizenship applications sped up under the same conditions as Pierre.
The AOC and Australian government hope that these three new citizens will improve Australia’s chances of winning Gold in France next year.
Pierre told the Guardian Australia: “After everything that’s been done for me and the belief that people have for me, it just makes me want to do really well for Australia. It’s really an honour.”