On the water, Tanna Diplock does not rely on sight. She listens. She feels.
She trusts the rhythm beneath her the surge of the boat, the click of the oars, the slide of the seats. Stroke by stroke, she knows exactly where she is meant to be.
That certainty was rewarded on Sunday when the 21-year-old former Clarendon High pupil and visually impaired rower received her SA colours — a milestone that celebrates far more than sporting excellence.
It marks a rough tide shaped by resilience, faith and an unshakeable determination to keep moving forward.
“It is a reminder that I am able to do things that even people who are able-bodied are too afraid to do,” Diplock told the Go! after the announcement.
“If people see that I’m able to overcome challenges, I hope they gain the courage to take the first step to achieve something they thought they couldn’t.”
Rowing was never part of Diplock’s early life. With little sporting exposure during her primary school years, her first session on the water was simply a leap into the unknown — one that would change everything.
“It felt like a new adventure and an exciting challenge,” she said.
“I immediately found joy in the sport, and it soon became a central part of my life.”
Known affectionately as “Tan” among her friends, Diplock was born with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye condition that has left her with 10% vision in her right eye and 20% in her left and with no peripheral vision.
Light-sensitive, she wears sunglasses whenever she is outdoors. Her older brother, Ross, lives with the same condition.
Rather than limiting her, rowing became a space where Diplock discovered her strength.
In April 2023, she claimed gold in the single sculls at the SA Rowing Championships, a breakthrough moment that confirmed her place among the country’s elite.
Yet, the toughest challenges, she says, often happen before the race even begins.
“The most challenging times are often off the water. Navigating obstacles and other teams carrying boats and oars,” Diplock says.
Once she is in the boat, the world quiets.
“There are some ways my vision makes timing with the crew more challenging. But I rely on feeling the movement of the boat as it surges with each stroke, and by listening to the click of the oars, the seats sliding backwards and forwards.”
She said rowing has transformed her athletic career.
“It has undoubtedly made me much more confident and independent.
“Learning to cope with challenges and uncomfortable situations on the water has positively influenced me even outside the rowing scene.”
Rather than chasing podiums, Diplock has always focused on progress.
“My main focus has been to take the next step forward, to get that little bit faster.
“Over time, those seconds add up. If you focus too much on the end goal, you can forget why you love what you do.”
Diplock said her steady rise saw her represent the Eastern Cape during her matric year, a milestone that fuelled her competitive drive.
Joining the University of Pretoria’s Tuks rowing team marked another leap forward.
“We have a strong training regimen and a team with a common goal. Being surrounded by athletes who want to work hard makes a huge difference.”
Competition environments, particularly travel and unfamiliar venues, can still be overwhelming.
“Fear creeps in when there’s a lot happening at once. In those moments, I remind myself of my faith. I know I’ll be okay, I just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other.”
From the shoreline, her mother, Terri Diplock, has watched every challenge and triumph with equal measures of pride and concern.
“As soon as she started rowing, I could see it. She smiled after every session, whether it was good or bad,” Terri said.
Resilience, she believes, defines her daughter. “Sometimes she doesn’t get the result she hoped for or worked really hard for, but she keeps trying.”
Watching Tanna and Ross navigate life has not always been easy for Terri.
“Honestly, sometimes I wonder why, especially when she gets hurt.
“But then you see the joy rowing brings her and it makes my heart happy.
“Seeing them succeed individually has been so rewarding. They make us want to be better people.”
Terri said faith has helped her family cope with the constant worry, especially when Tanna returns to university in Pretoria.
That same faith anchors Diplock herself.
“I dedicate all my achievements and even every seemingly mundane step toward them to Jesus.
“I trust that everything I do will honour God,” she said.
Her coach, Bill Godfrey, recalls spotting her potential when she was just 14. “She didn’t let her poor vision stand in her way,” Godfrey said.
“She pushed on despite the restrictions, and that determination is still there.”
Coaching a visually impaired athlete, he says, requires “adaptability”.
“You can’t explain things visually, so you have to be more thorough and practical.
“She took that on exceptionally well.”
Godfrey described Diplock’s progression as remarkable.
“From a young junior to rowing for SA in coastal rowing, her accomplishments speak for themselves.”
He said what stands out most is her mental strength.
“She handles pressure like any top athlete. She puts her head down and goes.
“She rows in able-bodied crews, not adaptive ones, which is quite remarkable.”
Looking ahead, Godfrey believes her journey is only beginning.
“She can achieve anything she sets her mind to. Whether it’s the Paralympics or coastal rowing.
“Her potential is enormous.”
For Diplock, however, the journey has never been about proving others wrong.
It has been about trusting the rhythm, embracing the challenge, and rowing forward even when the current is strong.
