Chris van Zyl, a 48-year-old resident of Somerset West, proved that it’s never too late to reignite a passion for athletics, as he delivered a stellar performance at the South African Masters Athletics Championships held in Oudtshoorn at the beginning of May.
Van Zyl, who once graced the track and field at Hottentots-Holland High School as a sprinter and discus thrower during his high school days returned to the sport three and a half years ago after a hiatus due to an eye injury that made other sports difficult.
Introduced to the throws pentathlon by a friend and finding guidance through coaching at Bellville Athletics Club, Van Zyl has embraced the challenging discipline that combines shot put, discus, hammer throw, javelin, and weight throw. Athletes in this event accumulate points across all five disciplines, with the highest tally claiming victory. Van Zyl also competes in individual events in the same throwing categories.
His dedication to the sport is evident in his rigorous training schedule of five days a week, competing regularly throughout the year under the Western Province Masters Association and Athletics South Africa. Earlier this year, at the Western Province Masters Championships held in Greenpoint, Van Zyl showcased his talent, securing a silver medal in the pentathlon and gold medals in other individual events, setting the stage for his national success.
While 2023 marked his debut at the national championships where he earned a bronze medal, injury sidelined him in 2024.
This year’s championships in Oudtshoorn marked his triumphant return. Despite challenging conditions, Van Zyl drew upon his experience and unwavering focus to achieve remarkable results, clinching gold medals in the throws pentathlon, hammer throw, and javelin, and a bronze medal in the shot put.
“I’ve always been competitive,” Van Zyl stated. “I push myself, and want to test myself. It’s obviously good to know that hard work pays off.”
Looking ahead, Van Zyl has set his sights on representing South Africa at the World Masters Championships.
“The next goal is that I’d love to go to a world championships at some stage, if all goes well. My immediate focus is on the next SA masters and to do well there. I want to continue training as often as I can to push myself to get some records that are within reach,” he said.
Balancing his athletic pursuits with his professional life as a project coordinator for skills development, Van Zyl also finds time to give back to his alma mater. He occasionally trains at the Hottentots Holland High School nets and enjoys helping to coach discus to young athletes, describing it as a “very rewarding experience”.
