EWALD JANSEN: A LEGACY OF GRIT AND FAITH

Nehema Ntumba

@nehema_ntumba

Ewald Jansen is a javelin thrower who recently won gold with a throw of 77.62 meters at the African Championships in Athletics. Jansen’s journey to his gold medal was neither easy nor perfect, but his faith in God, his grit, and determination allowed him to reach heights far beyond his imagination.

Ewald Jansen originates from Lichtenburg; a small town located in the North West. Growing up, Jansen faced various challenges, such as bullying and financial hardship. It was during this difficult time in his life that he began to change who he was in order to be considered “socially acceptable.” However, despite being gradually accepted by his peers, he found himself feeling lost and alone. As life’s difficulties began to weigh on him, he found himself gravitating towards his Christian roots, finding solace and refuge in God. Every silent prayer, sermon, and fellowship with other Christians led to him building a stronger relationship with God. Over time, Jansen began seeing changes in his life—one of them being his transfer from rugby to athletics.

Growing up, Jansen had big ambitions of becoming a professional rugby player – his talent and determination had already allowed him to play for the North-West provincial rugby team.   Despite this achievement, he still felt the pull to try athletics, and with time, the temporary break from rugby became a permanent one. Despite his natural athletic abilities, Jansen was considered too short to be an efficient javelin thrower. However, he realised there would always be something missing if he didn’t try, and he chose to ignore the odds stacked against him. This perseverance led to his success at the South African Championships and his eventual spot on the South African Under-20 team, representing the country at the Under-20 World Games.

Although Jansen was making big strides, he failed to perform well at the World Games, where he placed last in the qualifying round. It was at that moment he realised it was important to stop comparing himself to others and instead completely put his trust and faith in God.

Even though the loss at the World Games was a crushing blow, Jansen chose not to let it define him. He went back to the basics and trained harder every day. On the days he felt like giving up, he gave it to God. In July this year, Jansen competed in the African Championships where he achieved a 77.62-meter throw that secured him a gold medal.

Jansen’s story is a reminder that hard work and consistency always pay off. Even if you are not considered the favourite in people’s books and you feel like an outcast, none of it matters — because you get to choose how your life turns out.

Never back down, never give up. If you can’t fly, run. If you can’t run, walk. If you can’t walk, crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward. – Martin Luther King Jr.

A picture of Ewald Jansen at the African Championships (Source: Invictus – @nwuinvictus)

Edited by Mignon Walters