Maryna finally makes it to the Olympics

Even though local sports celebrity, Maryna van Niekerk qualified twice for the Olympic Games in her remarkable athletics career, she could never compete in this prestigious event due to the international boycotts against South Africa before 1994.

Now, after a lengthy and illustrious sports career, she has finally made it to the world’s top sporting event. This time not as an athlete but as a member of the South African coaching squad.

“What an incredible honour to be selected as one of the coaches for the Rio 2016 Olympics,” said an ecstatic Van Niekerk in her Westdene home.

Husband Owen could hardly contain his pride when Northcliff Melville Times visited the famous sporting couple just before Maryna boarded the plane to Rio de Janeiro.

Maryna was wearing the dove blue jacket she and the rest of the South African team would wear during the opening ceremony. Owen was sporting the smart black jacket that he wore when he was last an Olympics coach in 1994.

“It’s truly an unbelievable honour and a huge privilege. When the team was announced I was so emotional I didn’t even see the other names. I’m still desperately trying to find a clip of that television announcement to cherish that moment forever,” said a visibly emotional Maryna.

“I am super excited. I’ve never been to an Olympics. Who would ever have thought that I would be chosen as an Olympic coach? It’s so amazing. Owen has already been to four Olympics. Now there are two people in the house who have been.”

While Owen was part of the coaching squad at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Norway, Maryna is in the track and field coaching line-up for the Olympic Games that starts in Brazil tomorrow.

The Van Niekerks both enjoyed distinguished sporting careers. Owen held the national triple jump record for 15 years and coached more than 600 national champions over the years.

Maryna held the national and continental long jump record for an impressive 17 years and won 24 national titles in 24 years. She eventually started the Peak Performance Athletic Club in Ruimsig to help coach and develop athletes and is now also putting the finishing touches to her master’s degree in sport psychology research which focusses on the effect of a mental skills programme on the anxiety of athletes.