'I want to make my late coach and family proud' - shot put star Blignaut on year ahead

JOHANNESBURG - Athletics South Africa is hosting its Athletics Grand Prix Series and among the athletes showcasing their talent is shot put specialist, Kyle Blignaut.

Blignaut has a new coach and is now based in Italy after his long-time coach, Pierre Blignaut, lost a lengthy battle with cancer late last year.

"I think one of the biggest lessons that I have learned from my coach was passion. Not only a passion for sport but for people and to help people where you can. I helped him coach at Hoërskool Noordheuwel for a few years and he taught me to not focus on money or what you can get from people but rather build relationships and understand people and get to know them and build meaningful relationships with them."

Blignaut told Eyewitness News that his former coach was a prime example of what commitment to one’s passion looks like as even when he was battling cancer, he still showed up.

"He also was a prime example of what commitment to your passion looks like when even after big cancer operations he would still show up and coach not only me but any athlete who needed the help and had a passion for sport. So, he showed me what true passion and commitment looked like and what it looks like if you love something that you are doing."
 
The shot putter, like most athletes around the world, is working towards being selected for the Olympics and hopes to make a mark at major tournaments.

"I would like to become African champion this year, South African champion, as well as do better at the 2024 Olympics than the 2021 Tokyo Olympics."

At the Tokyo Olympics, Blignaut became the second South African to make an Olympic shot put final when he finished 6th at the games. The first South African was Janus Robberts at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

"I have set these goals because they are realistic and also because I want to not only make myself family and friends proud but also my late coach, Pierre. He started my shot put career with me at age 9 and was with me up until his last days and I would like to make him proud."

Blignaut earned a silver medal at the 2022 African Championships and finished seventh at the Commonwealth Games later that year.

The 24-year-old, who is based in Italy, said that when he was younger he didn’t think much about his mental health but the older he gets, the more he understands the need to protect it.

"Mental health is something that I have not thought about a lot when I was younger but as I have gotten older and matured, I have seen that your mental health and what you expose yourself to is just as important as your physical health. I have a new training group in Italy, where I am based, and I feel like living and training with like-minded individuals has done wonders for my mental health."