For most teenagers, an athletics competition is a test of nerves and preparation.

For 17‑year‑old Marlon Kayster from Porterville, it became a moment when he was noticed far beyond the track.

At the Athletics South Africa All Age Groups Championships held in Germiston on Thursday 26 March, the Grade 11 learner produced a 100m sprint time that left officials, coaches and spectators in awe as he crossed the line in 10.31 seconds. The time made him the fastest under‑18 sprinter in South Africa, and currently the fastest young man in the world for his age group.

The performance has opened doors to international competition. Kayster has been selected for the World Wide Scholarships (WWS) Western Cape Schools Athletics Tour, where he will compete in Italy and Sweden during June and July against some of the world’s top young athletes. He has also qualified to represent South Africa at the Under-20 AAU Junior Olympic Games in the United States in August.

Behind Kayster’s world-leading run lies a quieter story of family commitment, long hours of training and access to education made possible through support from the KAL Trust, an employee benefit programme of the KAL Group, a JSE-listed diversified agri, fuel and lifestyle retailer.

Kayster is the son of Wilbert Kayster, a grain operations employee at the Group’s Agrimark Grain Piketberg silo. Financial assistance from the Trust has helped the family secure schooling, accommodation and sporting essentials that have allowed Marlon to focus on both his studies and his development as an elite athlete.

“I was very emotional,” he recalls of his world-leading performance. “I know how much hard work went into it, and when it finally paid off, it meant a lot.” Despite the global attention the performance attracted, he remains understated about his achievement. “For me, it felt very normal. I just did what I trained to do.”

Kayster’s journey has been shaped by trade-offs and routine. On a typical day, he balances schoolwork with afternoon training sessions that run well into the evening, followed by competitions during the athletics season. “There is a lot of discipline involved,” he said.

As an athlete, Kayster competes for Boland Athletics, representing the province at national championships while continuing his schooling at Porterville High School. The school environment, he believes, has played an important role in his development. “We take part in strong competitions, and academically everything is also very good,” he said.

For Wilbert Kayster, applying to the KAL Trust was about opening doors he otherwise could not. “I applied to the KAL Trust because I wanted to give my son a real chance to succeed,” he explains. “We could see Marlon’s potential from a young age, but without the right education and support, it would have been very difficult. Porterville High School offered an environment where he could grow academically while pursuing his sporting interests, but I couldn’t afford the costs. The Trust made it possible, and it changed everything for us.”

Since Grade 8, the Trust has provided financial assistance towards Kayster’s school fees, with the most recent support in January 2026 contributing to tuition, hostel accommodation, school uniform and sports kit. According to Marlon, the impact has been felt across his entire family. “It helps my parents and gives us opportunities we would not have had otherwise,” he added.

A central figure in Marlon’s development has been his long‑time coach, Jacobus Wes, who began coaching him at the age of 11. Wes describes Marlon as a focused and grounded athlete who has grown steadily over time.

“He knows what he wants and what he wants to achieve,” Wes says. “He is ambitious, but he also works very hard. What stands out for me is not only his talent as an athlete, but his character. He has developed as a person, and that is just as important.”

Wes believes Kayster’s journey is still unfolding. “This is a long road,” he says. “If he keeps the attitude he has now and continues believing in his abilities, he can go very far.”

For Marlon, his motivation remains close to home. When asked who inspires him most, his answer is immediate. “My dad,” he beams.