Vivian Hillier: I am a tough triathlete to crack

How did your love for sports begin?
I started participating in sports when I was 10 years old, with taekwondo. I could play all sports and then I settled on swimming and taekwondo. I competed for the Kenyan team in both swimming and taekwondo before trying my hand in triathlon in 2018.

I used to be in the swimming team while I was a pupil at Oshwal Academy in Mombasa. I qualified for almost all the African Swimming Federation (CANA) Zone levels.

In taekwondo, I attained all golds in my junior championships. I was beating everybody in Kenya in the junior category, so they put me in the senior team to kind of challenge myself. I stopped taekwondo because of an arm injury I picked up in training. It held me back and also affected my swimming. 

You took up triathlon after dropping taekwondo. How do you find this new discipline?
It has been a rollercoaster, but an amazing one. Obviously, it is not easy to combine three sports in one. It needs a lot of discipline in training, consistency and resilience. There’s so much you have to put in and sacrifice if you really want to become the best. Being a student, it is really difficult to balance between academics and sports because triathlon is really time-consuming. I manage to do both thanks to proper planning and sticking to a strict timetable and programme for both school and training. 

Who do you look up to in triathlon?
Bermudian triathlete Flora Duffy. She is among the top triathletes in the world. She is really strong in all the three disciplines – swimming, cycling and running. I had an opportunity to meet her during the 2022 Commonwealth Games but sadly I wasn’t able to travel because our slots were cut down from two women and two men to one man and one woman a few days before travelling. I’m still hoping to meet her. I like her consistency and resilience in training.

Challenges exist in almost every sport…which ones have you faced?
Triathlon is a very expensive sport, so the biggest challenge I have experienced is lack of equipment, especially the bike. The best triathlon bike goes for between Sh1 million and Sh2 million. An average bike goes for between Sh200,000 and Sh300,000, a tri-suit is Sh20,000-Sh30,000 and the shoes cost Sh10,000-Sh20,000. The other challenge is that you have to travel for tournaments outside the country to earn ranking points, and finding the right diet.

We also need energy gels which go for between Sh300 and Sh800 for just a small box and the price of supplements range between Sh2, 000 and Sh5, 000. If you ask me how I manage to be in this sport, then I’d tell you that God works wonders for me. All my life I have been raised by a single mum and she fully supports my sports journey. Despite the challenges, my dreams are still very much alive. I promised myself that in the year 2027, the world will know my name and I will qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

How have you benefited from triathlon?
I have been able to travel and meet other triathletes who have also made me realise my strengths and weaknesses during various competitions.

You recently had a bike accident?
A week and a half before travelling to Namibia for a duathlon, I was hit by a motorbike during training, so I went to the competition with an ankle injury. I finished fourth overall. I performed really well considering I had an injury. I also fell sick just before the 2023 Africa Triathlon Junior Cup in Blue Bay, Mauritius on September 9. I was advised not to race, but I’m not somebody who gives up easily, so I did.

I came sixth out of 16 with a time of one hour and 18 minutes. Sadly, after that the next thing I remember was waking up in hospital. I got better and I was actually surprised and happy with my performance in the Elite Women category one week later in Mon Choisy. I thank God for it because I broke my own Personal Best and got a podium finish.

What are your goals as a triathlete?
I’d like to turn professional someday and obviously compete at the Olympics. But, to qualify you need ranking points. To earn points you need to travel to international tournaments, which is quite difficult. Most African countries would not qualify for the Olympics, maybe South Africa because it is one of the top triathlon nations. But apart from that, it is mostly top European countries which qualify.

It is really hard for a developing country like Kenya to qualify for the Olympics, but if given full government support, nothing is impossible. Right now, I have set my eyes on the 2028 Olympics. But, if an opportunity arises for the 2024 Olympics, I would not turn it down.

What valuable advice have you got from interacting with other sportsmen and women?
I have engaged with [Ferdinand] Omanyala and [Hellen] Obiri and several players from the Kenya Sevens rugby and Kenya basketball teams. They motivate me a lot. Omanyala told me that I should not give up no matter what. Obiri asked me to never let my background define me.

Is there any advice you’d like to give aspiring triathletes?
Never give up, never let anyone underestimate you and never let your background define you. Keep on pushing and don’t allow anyone to bring you down. It is not easy being in this sport. Obviously, you are going to face obstacles. But, every time an obstacle hits you just take it as a stepping stone for you to continue working hard to achieve your goals. And, remember to put God first.

Apart from sports, what else do you do?
I draw and paint. I like drawing landscapes.

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