On 26 October 2026, Thomas van Tonder will attempt to conquer more than 600 monkey bars suspended beneath the iconic Bloukrans Bridge. But behind this extreme sporting challenge lies another story worth telling: the South African and international specialists turning an ambitious vision into a carefully engineered reality.
For van Tonder, an obstacle course racing (OCR) world champion, the mission is about pushing his physical limits. Yet the project also highlights the expertise, collaboration and problem-solving required to make extraordinary sporting moments possible.
Building Something Nobody Has Done Before
Van Tonder deliberately chose to follow the full arch of Bloukrans Bridge rather than attempt a more straightforward crossing. The reason? An easier challenge would not force him to grow.
“If the whole purpose of this all is to push myself and to develop myself and to really see where my limits are,” .
he explains, the challenge needs to be difficult enough to test what he believes he can achieve
That ambition presents a unique problem. There is no established training manual for crossing an inclined bridge using monkey bars. The athlete and his support team have had to develop their approach through experimentation, specialist knowledge and continuous preparation.
The team has worked with the Red Bull Athlete Performance Centre in Austria, alongside climbers and other specialists, to refine the preparation process.
Even with meticulous planning, success is not guaranteed. Van Tonder admits that the difficulty of the incline continues to challenge him, despite the months of preparation.
The Unsung Experts Behind the Spectacle
One of the most interesting aspects of Bridge Bars is what it reveals about the people working behind the scenes.
While the athlete will be the central figure on 26 October, constructing the temporary structure beneath the bridge requires specialised rigging, technical expertise and careful coordination. The installation has been designed to avoid drilling into or permanently altering the bridge.
For van Tonder, bringing these specialists together has become a meaningful part of the project.
He describes the experience of giving highly skilled professionals the opportunity to demonstrate what they can do as both satisfying and inspiring. Just as only a select group of athletes can attempt a challenge of this magnitude, only a limited number of specialists possess the expertise needed to build the structure safely.
It is a reminder that major sporting achievements rarely belong to one person alone.
South Africa has no shortage of creative problem-solvers and technical talent. Projects like this create opportunities for those skills to be seen, tested and appreciated beyond their usual professional environments.
When Becoming a Champion Means Starting Again
Van Tonder has spent 12 years competing internationally in obstacle course racing. However, Bridge Bars has exposed a different set of physical demands.
Instead of prioritising running speed and agility, his preparation has focused heavily on upper-body endurance, grip strength and the ability to sustain effort while hanging from the bars. The adjustment has also brought injuries involving his elbows, shoulders and tendons.
The experience has challenged him to strengthen areas that received less attention in his established sporting discipline.
There is a broader lesson here for anyone working towards a personal or professional goal: experience in one field does not automatically prepare you for every new challenge.
Sometimes, progress means admitting what you do not know, learning from people with different expertise and rebuilding your approach from the ground up.
Calculated Risk, Shared Responsibility
Fatherhood has also influenced how van Tonder approaches extreme challenges. Rather than abandoning risk, he says becoming a parent has made him more conscious of the safety systems and people involved.
For Bridge Bars, that means trusting experienced professionals, testing the planned systems and taking a more thorough approach to preparation.
His outlook reflects a balance between ambition and responsibility, particularly when other people depend on you.
Van Tonder also hopes to inspire his children through the way he approaches difficult goals. The potential inspiration, he suggests, is as important as the risk itself.
More Than 600 Monkey Bars
The upcoming Bridge Bars attempt follows Thomas van Tonder as he takes on an unprecedented physical challenge beneath Bloukrans Bridge. This behind-the-scenes conversation explores the specialist teams, innovative preparation, physical setbacks and calculated risks shaping the project.
Beyond the spectacle, the interview offers a closer look at what happens when an ambitious idea brings different disciplines together to pursue something nobody has attempted before.
On 26 October, the challenge will be about whether van Tonder can reach the other side. The bigger story is what becomes possible when an athlete, a team of experts and a shared vision come together.
For more information about the event, read the original Thomas van Tonder takes on 600 Monkey Bars feature on Urban Lifestyle.
