by Bruce Fordyce and Arnold Geerdts April 2001
Ray de Vries Sports Promotions was birthed in 1988 to look after one athlete Willie Mtolo. The mission of Ray de Vries, the founder and owner, was to help Willie and other athletes prepare themselves for South Africa's readmission into world sport. At that stage South African athletes were banned from the world stage because of the horrendous apartheid system.
Ray worked with many people around the world to prepare the road ahead. The mission was accomplished in 1992 when Willie Mtolo won the Enschede Marathon in Holland. South Africa and the world rejoiced as all welcomed us back onto the world stage. But Ray and Willie's work had only just begun...
The pair travelled later that year to New York City Marathon in what was described by commentators at the time as "a little ambitious for new kids on the block".
Bruce and I were at a media conference held prior to Willie and Ray's departure to New York, and were witness to Ray publicly declaring that "Willie will win this one for South Africa in a time of 2:09.30".
Almost unbelievably, Willie took the race by the scruff of the neck and won -- in a time of 2:09.29! It was almost as if this was meant to be... accolades poured in and the Rainbow Nation welcomed its favourite son home, but not before he had been invited by the President of the United States, President Clinton, to run around the White House with him.
This fairy tale would become a business -- a business called Ray de Vries Sports Promotions.
In 1995, Ray had a new mission. He wanted to bring international competitors into the South African arena. This was the birth of the Mr Price International running team, a team made up largely of former Eastern European countries that has been so successful in the Comrades Marathon and other road races worldwide.
Many events have benefited from the marketing genius of Ray and his team. The company has been responsible for the marketing and sponsorship of the highly successful Dusi canoe Marathon for the last seven years.
Ray is an accomplished motivational speaker, speaking from the heart on subjects like; from leader to cheerleader, inside a champions head or Zero to Hero (back into the world after isolation)
Ray de Vries Sports Promotions consults to many companies, events and individuals, around the world.
The business not only owes it's success to the vision of one man, but to the fact that it has resisted the temptation to become a large cumbersome corporate. It is a business that moves fast and, like the champions that it has bred, remains lean and mean.
by Bruce Fordyce and Arnold Geerdts April 2001
Ray de Vries Sports Promotions was birthed in 1988 to look after one athlete Willie Mtolo. The mission of Ray de Vries, the founder and owner, was to help Willie and other athletes prepare themselves for South Africa's readmission into world sport. At that stage South African athletes were banned from the world stage because of the horrendous apartheid system.
Ray worked with many people around the world to prepare the road ahead. The mission was accomplished in 1992 when Willie Mtolo won the Enschede Marathon in Holland. South Africa and the world rejoiced as all welcomed us back onto the world stage. But Ray and Willie's work had only just begun...
The pair travelled later that year to New York City Marathon in what was described by commentators at the time as "a little ambitious for new kids on the block".
Bruce and I were at a media conference held prior to Willie and Ray's departure to New York, and were witness to Ray publicly declaring that "Willie will win this one for South Africa in a time of 2:09.30".
Almost unbelievably, Willie took the race by the scruff of the neck and won -- in a time of 2:09.29! It was almost as if this was meant to be... accolades poured in and the Rainbow Nation welcomed its favourite son home, but not before he had been invited by the President of the United States, President Clinton, to run around the White House with him.
This fairy tale would become a business -- a business called Ray de Vries Sports Promotions.
In 1995, Ray had a new mission. He wanted to bring international competitors into the South African arena. This was the birth of the Mr Price International running team, a team made up largely of former Eastern European countries that has been so successful in the Comrades Marathon and other road races worldwide.
Many events have benefited from the marketing genius of Ray and his team. The company has been responsible for the marketing and sponsorship of the highly successful Dusi canoe Marathon for the last seven years.
Ray is an accomplished motivational speaker, speaking from the heart on subjects like; from leader to cheerleader, inside a champions head or Zero to Hero (back into the world after isolation)
Ray de Vries Sports Promotions consults to many companies, events and individuals, around the world.
The business not only owes it's success to the vision of one man, but to the fact that it has resisted the temptation to become a large cumbersome corporate. It is a business that moves fast and, like the champions that it has bred, remains lean and mean. |
