Jo-Ane van Dyk won medal without backing from official SA structures

Jo-Ane van Dyk achieved Team South Africa’s sixth Olympic medal at Stade de France on Saturday night without much support from official structures back home, relying instead on much-needed help from her parents.

Originally from the Western Cape, Van Dyk had to dig deep to continue competing after finishing her studies in Potchefstroom, where she now lives.

“So very difficult,” the 26-year-old qualified dietitian replied when asked how challenging it had been to push ahead without financial backing. “I think especially after I finished with my studies.

“I have been supported by my parents because they also believed in me and they were believing in the passion that I have.

“It was quite difficult. It’s difficult when everybody else is moving on with their lives and earning salaries and I’m just here, just trying and still trying,” said Van Dyk, who didn’t want to quit the sport without giving her best.

At last year’s world championships she was the only South African field athlete to get into a final. 

Van Dyk’s Olympic silver was one of three South African medals not funded through the Operation Excellence programme run by the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc).

The others are bronze medallist mountain-biker Alan Hatherly, who is believed to have turned down the OpEx offer, and the Blitzboks, who are run by SA Rugby.

Sprinter Akani Simbine is on OpEx which also contributed to the preparation of the men’s 4x100m relay team, though Simbine’s three teammates, Shaun Maswanganyi, Bradley Nkoana and Bayanda Walaza were not on it.

Breaststroke queen Tatjana Smith, winner of South Africa’s only gold in Paris as well as a silver, is a recipient.

Van Dyk did receive some assistance through OpEx, like being accommodated at the national athletics team training camp at Montpellier with coach Terseus Liebenberg in the build-up to Paris. 

The thrower, who stands to pocket R200,000 as an incentive offered for Paris silverware by Sascoc, said her moment of triumph in Paris had made the hard times worth it.

“It really means a lot. I always say all the struggles, everything, all the disappointments, moments like this, it trumps it all, so I’m just so happy about it.”

Van Dyk, who threw her 63.93m silver effort in the third round of the competition, is hoping to compete in Europe before returning home to get married on October 5.

“I will take a week off now with my family and then afterwards I still have some competitions.

“Hopefully some diamond leagues, I don’t know. Hopefully after this I’ll be there.

“A lot of things will change. I think I’m definitely [planning] to still compete.”