Following a successful ACP last year in Cape Town, the gathering was held at Olympic House in Johannesburg this year and was hosted by the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and the E for Exec Professional HR Services firm.

During the programme, athletes were encouraged to use the passion, motivation, energy, focus and dedication they put into their sporting careers and apply them to forging a career outside of sport.

"This Athletes Career Programme teaches you ways to take the training ethic in the sport field and apply it to the next stage in your life - the work place," said Emilie Smith, SASCOC Board member and chair of the Athletes Commission..

"It will give you another tool to use in your back pocket and survive in this world."

Hartley, winner of a sprint canoe bronze in London, was joined by the likes of boxer Siphiwe Lusizi and Paralympic champion Teboho Mokgalagadi, and took part in individual and group sessions focussing on areas such as professional networking, interview skills and resume compilation.

Athens 2004 Paralympic champion Teboho Mokgalagadi hopes the ACP will equip him with skills to pursue a career away from the track ©AFP/Getty Images



"This programme helps me identify what my interests and skills are and to see that there are more specific career options I can look into after my sports career," said 30-year-old Hartley, who also won World Championships bronze in 2009.

Mokgalagadi, who won double Paralympic sprint gold at Athens 2004 in the men's T35 100 and 200 m etressaid: "This programme assists me with finding good ideas on how I am going to penetrate the professional career field after my sport career.

"It has equipped me with ways to network and market myself to potential employers."

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