The iconic rise of Tsietsi Samuel Lesenyego & The road to Tokyo 2020 Olympics. From Ramp Modeling to Track & field athletic competition, Tsietsi prepares for one of his greatest challenges in his lifetime.

 

Tsietsi Samuel Lesenyego better known as Tsietsi Samuels, is a qualified Medical Laboratory Scientist; Male model; Personal trainer; Netball coach & Volleyball coach, this to mention the many accolades under his belt. At this young  age, He looks like someone who has done it all, however, he has set himself a target to reach & conquer at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games.

Today we take a look at who is Tsietsi Samuel Lesenyego as he opens up to AFTV about his life, Success, Challenges and ambitions.

Tsietsi Samuel Lesenyego was born in 1991 to Tshidi Lucille and was raised single handedly by his grandmother (Ellen), whom he regards as the most influential woman in his life. Tsietsi grew up in the Potchefstroom city in North west, South Africa. He is the only child from his mothers side and has four siblings from his fathers side. Tsietsi grew up without his fathers presence in his life, like any other kids who grew up without their fathers. Tsietsi had to learn a lot of things that fathers are supposed to teach their children, all by himself : "I never really dwell that much into it , he was just absent and I had to teach myself much of the stuff i know today" . In 2008 he completed his high school matric and applied to study at Vaal University of Technology to study IT, to which he got accepted and started his academic year in 2009. However he did not study what he initial applied for, but instead he studied Biomedical Laboratory Sciences.

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 It was during that time that he started doing a lot of things, from sports to modelling. At varsity he took part in sporting codes like Volleyball; Netball; Tennis; Soccer; Indigenous games and athletics.
"I was motivated by people who told me that I have the looks and that I should consider it (Modelling)", that is why he started modeling. As for the sporting part, he mentioned that "I did every sporting code that my body allowed me to participate in". As an aspiring model, he would take part in castings at varsity when Students studying fashion were hosting casting for their fashion shows, and lucky enough he would make a cut. Back at home Tsietsi enjoyed the support he got from his family who supported him in everything that he did. In the year of 2012 he completed his studies and graduated in 2013.

 As model he has worked with people like Ben Letlape; Collen Monnakgotla; Scalo Medupe; Stevel Marc and many more. He has walked the ramp for shows like Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Joburg; Mpumalanga fashion Show and many others. His modeling career took a great turn when he was scouted by one of South Africa's best models scouter Kgomotso Seboko from KS. He (KS) has discovered a lot of top models of today. Tsietsi acknowledges that it was through working with Kgomotso that he got a lot of exposure for his modeling career, however pursuing his dream hasn't come without its own challenges. Just like any other career that one might try to pursue, modeling also did come with its own challenges. Tsietsi had also encountered the challenges in pursuit of his dream of becoming one of S.A's top male model. Those challenges he encountered when he had to relocate to a place where he could get more exposure, however, due to his studies he couldn't adapt and he had to put  modeling on hold so that he could focus on his studies.

" My ambition is to be one of the best Fitness trainers around the world before the age of 30 & I aspire to be a well sought after athlete in the world" says Tsietsi Samuel.

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Now Tsietsi is pursuing his dream, this is after leaving his daily job as a Biomedical Laboratory Scientist and discovering that there is more to life than just doing something that your not most passionate about. This can be seen from his latest adventure, his "Road to Tokyo Olympics 2020", which started when he saw Luvo Manyonga win a sliver medal, Wayde win Gold and Caster winning Gold at the Rio 2016 Olympics and the above mentioned alerted him that it's possible to reach that level as well.

"It hit me that: 'Tsietsi you can do this, just give it a try' says the athlete. "Since I am athletic, I decided to make it a mission to go and start this journey." He also added that with the motivation I got from people, that was the burning fuel to my vision" said Tsietsi.

I asked Tsietsi what is his intention were, and what he hopes to achieve with all of this. His response was: "My intention is to Set a world record in Long Jump and break the one (8.90m) set by Bob Beamon in 1968 in long jump. Also to try and match the record set by the South African Luvo Manyonga as he jumped 8.35m". He also mentioned that Kgotso Mokoena as well is an inspiration to him (tsietsi) as he is the athlete that got South Africa a Silver Medal in the 2008 Beijin Olympics. I am a long jumper by category but will also do 100m, 200m" said the athlete himself.

Although he is currently training on his own, he could not let even not having a coach stand in his way. He has decided to approach an athletic coach to assist him. "At the moment I have been preparing alone, and I have spoken to a coach in Medunsa to assist mein my pursuit, and he told me that we will start early in the year of 2017" says Samuel.  He is very anticipant of what 2017 will bring for him. "I wish to bring home a medal in each and every competition that I partake in from the coming month, to the very big event; the 2020 Olympics. I will bring a gold Medal for sure" he also mentions.

We certainly have no doubt that this young man can achieve anything that he set his mind to and he has beaten many odds in his lifetime.
AFTV will bring you all the update throughout his journey, in both modeling and as an athlete to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Anyone who might wish to support/Sponsor Samuel in his journey can do so by sending an email to tsietsisamuell774@gmail.com
contact:081 047 8170

You can also follow him on social media to see his journey:
Facebook: Tsietsi Samuel                                                                                  

Facebook Page: Tsietsi's Road to Tokyo Olympics 2020                                 

Twitter: @tsikasam                                                                                          

 Intsagram: Tsietsi_Samuel                                                                               

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