Okkert Brits

Okkert Brits (born 22 August 1973, in Uitenhage) is a former South African track and field athlete who specialised in the pole vault. He was the silver medallist at the World Championships in Athletics in 2003. He was a four-time champion at the African Championships in Athletics and twice champion at the All-Africa Games. He was a gold medallist at the 2002 Commonwealth Games and took bronze at the 1995 IAAF World Indoor Championships.

Okkert Brits

Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  South Africa
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2003 ParisPole vault
World Indoor Championships
Bronze medal – third place 1995 BarcelonaPole vault
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 2002 Manchester Pole vault
All-Africa Games
Gold medal – first place 1995 Harare Pole vault
Gold medal – first place 1999 Johannesburg Pole vault
African Championships
Gold medal – first place 1992 Belle-Vue Pole vault
Gold medal – first place 1993 Durban Pole vault
Gold medal – first place 1998 Dakar Pole vault
Gold medal – first place 2006 Bambous Pole vault

His personal best of 6.03 m, set in 1995, is the African record. This made him the first African in the 6 metres club of vaulters. He competed in the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games finishing seventh in 2000. He ranked number one in the world for the 1995 season.

He has been married to Jane Gillespie since 2003; they are the parents of Sarah Jane Brits (born in 2005) and David Okkert Brits (born in 2006). In 2009, Brits took part in the 3rd season of Survivor: South Africa, placing eighth.

In January 2003, Brits tested positive for a banned substance ephedrine, which he claimed must have been in the energy supplement he took. For its being his first offence and ephedrine only being a stimulant, he was only given a public warning.[1][2]

Competition record
YearCompetitionVenuePositionNotes
Representing  South Africa
1992 African Championships Belle Vue Mauricia, Mauritius 1st 5.35 m
World Junior Championships Seoul, South Korea 3rd 5.40 m
1993 African Championships Dakar, Senegal 1st 5.40 m
World Championships Stuttgart, Germany 15th (q) 5.65 m
1994 Commonwealth Games Victoria, Canada – NM
1995 World Indoor Championships Barcelona, Spain 3rd 5.75 m
World Championships Gothenburg, Sweden 4th 5.80 m
All-Africa Games Harare, Zimbabwe 1st 5.50 m
1996 Olympic Games Atlanta, United States – NM
1997 World Indoor Championships Paris, France 6th 5.65 m
World Championships Athens, Greece – NM
1998 African Championships Dakar, Senegal 1st 5.40 m
1999 World Championships Seville, Spain 10th 5.50 m
All-Africa Games Johannesburg, South Africa 1st 5.40 m
2000 Olympic Games Sydney 7th 5.80 m
2001 World Indoor Championships Lisbon, Portugal 7th 5.60 m
2002 Commonwealth Games Manchester, United Kingdom 1st 5.75 m
2003 World Indoor Championships Birmingham, United Kingdom – NM
World Championships Paris, France 2nd 5.85 m
2004 World Indoor Championships Budapest, Hungary 9th (q) 5.70 m
Olympic Games Athens, Greece 19th (q) 5.60 m
2006 African Championships Bambous, Mauritius 1st 5.20 m

Survivor South Africa: Santa Carolina

In 2010, Brits competed on the third season of Survivor South Africa, Survivor South Africa: Santa Carolina. He made the merge, and ultimately was voted out in 8th place. He cast his jury vote for Perle "GiGi" van Schalkwyk, who ultimately won the competition.

See also

References
  1. "Okkert: Innocent or just ignorant?". Independent Online. South Africa. 15 February 2003. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
  2. "The bitter taste of victory". Independent Online. South Africa. 26 June 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
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