Zandra Axten '25 Recruiting Profile

I started rowing when I was 12 years old, on a small dam in the Cape. I was immediately drawn to the sport's combination of physical and mental toughness and quickly fell in love with the feeling of the boat gliding through water, the teamwork it takes to achieve goals and the satisfaction when it all comes together has inspired me to constantly push as hard as I can.

After 2 years of rowing as a junior with a club, my family and I made the decision for me to move to Somerset College to board. This decision has allowed me to broaden both my academic and rowing opportunities. Through boarding I have had more time to balance my academics while allowing for maximum time to pursue my sporting interests.

I am a cheerful, extremely dedicated, hard working, eager to learn, passionate and goal orientated individual. I give my all to achieve my targets, I relish a challenge, love being part of a team and thrive in competitive situations.

I believe in making my dreams reality and for some time now I have dreamt of studying and rowing competitively overseas, I have worked hard academically, even when missing weeks of school at rowing camps and regattas to afford me the best opportunity to study at a great university abroad and develop my rowing in the international arena.

Currently my aim is to enter the field of psychology and complete a degree in sports psychology. While rowing is my passion, I am also passionate about the psychology behind the athlete’s mind while performing competitively.

I graduate in December 2024 and I aim to start university in the US in 2025. I can’t wait to see how this exposure can grow and develop me further.

As a busy person who trains up to 3x a day I have to organise my time very well. Winning and losing has made me a more resilient person and I’ve learnt that I won’t give up, even with the biggest set backs. Rowing is a great example of where hard work can trump talent on any given day. I’ve implemented this concept into every aspect of my life, academics and leadership roles. 

I have experienced first hand the highs that come from all of this hard work and can’t wait to experience more of these moments during my time in the US through implementing hard work, determination and teamwork, I have so much I wish to accomplish.

An important quote to me is “pressure is a privilege". It reminds me of the opportunities I can create for myself and my responsibility to utilize these opportunities. This is exactly what I will do, I will give my utmost best in every boat I row in, every ergo session I do and every obstacle I face.