Douw Smit Exclusive: From Cricket to Chasing 90m; South African Javelin Star Opens Up on India, National Record Dreams

For Douw Smit, the journey from cricket to javelin is not simply a change of sport. It is a story of discovering a feeling that he could not ignore, the sight of a javelin flying through the air and the possibility of making it travel further every time.

The South African javelin thrower is now chasing much bigger ambitions. He wants to break the country's 88.75m national record, enter the exclusive 90 metre club and, in the process, help revive javelin throwing in South Africa.

Speaking exclusively to MyKhel after the World Athletics Continental Tour Silver Meet in Bhubaneswar, Smit reflects on his journey, his connection with India, the challenges of competing in the heat and humidity, and why he believes South African javelin is entering another promising phase.

'India is so javelin rich and cricket rich'

Smit's decision to compete in India comes with an unusual connection. Cricket has always been an important part of South African sporting culture, while India has developed an enormous following for both cricket and javelin in recent years.

For Smit, that combination makes India a particularly attractive destination.

"I came to India because it's so javelin rich and cricket rich."

There is also a personal connection behind his decision to visit the country. Smit says he knows South African cricketer Marco Jansen and his brother Duan from their school days, when they were together in boarding school.

That association means he has heard plenty about India even before making the trip himself. Now that he has experienced the country first hand, Smit is already hoping for another opportunity to return.

"I'm so glad you are hosting a competition as big as this. And definitely, next year, if you invite me again, I will come, because the people are amazing, the food is amazing, and what an amazing crowd we had."

From cricket to the javelin

Cricket may have been a natural sporting pathway for Smit, but javelin captures his imagination from the moment he first tries it.

"The first time, just picking up the javelin, I just fell in love with it."

He describes the attraction in simple terms. There is something about the run up, the release and then watching the implement travel through the air that immediately draws him in.

"Cricket is very big in South Africa as well, but just running in and seeing how the javelin flies is just an amazing feeling. And I fell in love with it from day one."

That initial fascination eventually develops into a serious sporting career. Smit is now among South Africa's leading javelin throwers, with a personal best of 84.79m. His progression has brought him within sight of the national record, although his Bhubaneswar competition does not produce the performance he wants.

'I didn't have the feeling and the connection with the javelin'

The conditions in Bhubaneswar are markedly different from those in Glasgow, where Smit has recently competed. The South African admits the heat and humidity create a different environment, but he is not someone who dislikes warm conditions. In fact, he prefers them.

Coming from South Africa, Smit is accustomed to warmer weather. The bigger issue on this particular evening is not the temperature but his inability to find the rhythm and connection with the implement that he wants.

"Just tonight, I didn't have the feeling and the connection with the javelin. But hopefully, I have a week now to recover."

That ability to separate one competition from the larger season is an important part of his approach. He knows that not every throw will come together. What matters is how quickly he can reset. His next target is already in sight, with Smit looking towards a competition in Maryland on August 30.

"Hopefully, in Maryland, I'm going to compete there on the 30th. Hopefully, I can compete at my best and push for first place."

The national record is the big target

Smit's ambitions are much bigger than simply collecting victories at individual meetings. The South African national record stands at 88.75m, set by Marius Corbett at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur. That mark has remained untouched for almost three decades. Smit wants to change that.

"My personal goal? Throwing the national record. Definitely. That 88.75, I want it so bad."

His own progression suggests that the target is becoming increasingly realistic. Smit has pushed his personal best to 84.79m, placing him within four metres of Corbett's longstanding national mark.

But even 88.75m is not where he wants the journey to end. The 90-metre barrier represents something bigger, membership of one of the most exclusive groups in men's javelin.

"I want to be in the 90-meter club. You know, it's so few guys that can say they threw over 90 meters. So if I can do it, I believe Javelin can pop in South Africa just like it popped in India."

He is particularly encouraged by the emergence of younger athletes, including the under-20 generation, and believes their progress can create a competitive environment in which established throwers like himself are also pushed to improve.

Six throws go faster than people think

Javelin is often described as an event where an athlete has six opportunities to produce one big throw. But Smit believes that description can be misleading. The six attempts disappear quickly.

"Six throws go fast. You just have to have a strong mind. I'm 27 now. I believe I have that."

The mental side of throwing becomes especially important when an athlete fails to find the desired rhythm early in a competition.

Smit says experience has taught him not to overreact to a bad result. A poor competition is inevitable during a long season, and allowing one performance to affect the next can make matters worse.

"I learned you have to have one or two bad competitions throughout the year. It happens. And you can just move from there and push in the next one."

Douw Smit in love of Indian Cuisine

There is another part of Smit's first Indian experience that he is particularly enthusiastic about, the food. In fact, he jokes that his performance may have suffered because he enjoyed the cuisine a little too much.

"I think that's possibly why I didn't throw that good today because I ate too much."

When asked what exactly he has been eating, his answer is characteristically straightforward. "Everything. I don't even know what's the name of the food. I just eat."

The food, however, is only one part of what he likes about India. The people and the crowd have also made a strong impression on him.

Javelin is a hobby, but the ambition is serious

Perhaps the most intriguing part of Smit's story is what he does away from the track. Unlike many elite athletes, he does not train and compete as a full time professional. He works a regular job and fits his athletics around it. Smit is currently an employee of Trompie Group, who manufactures athletics tracks.

"So I work full-time. So this is a hobby for me, actually. So I work from 7 to 5. And this, I do part-time."

That perspective changes the way he approaches difficult competitions. Smit explains that hunting and fishing are popular pastimes in South Africa, and his own passion happens to be javelin. His friends may spend their free time pursuing other interests, he chooses to spend his throwing. That means even when the competition does not go according to plan, he can still enjoy being there.

It is an approach that keeps the pressure from becoming overwhelming while still allowing him to dream big.

South Africa's Javelin Bloom Soon

Smit's confidence in the future of South African javelin extends beyond his own career. He believes the current generation of young throwers can take the event to another level, creating a much deeper pool of athletes capable of competing internationally.

"Going up. Definitely going up," he sees a future where six or seven South African throwers are capable of crossing 80 metres.

"So I believe a few years from now, we will see 6 or 7 guys over 80 meters. Definitely."

That would represent a major shift in the country's javelin landscape and, for Smit, would create exactly the kind of competitive environment he wants. The established throwers would push the youngsters. The youngsters would push the established athletes. And the distances would keep getting bigger.

The next throw is already the focus

Bhubaneswar does not provide Smit with the performance he wants. His 76.79m leaves him seventh in the official results, far short of the 84.79m personal best he has already established this season.

But that is not where his attention remains. He is already thinking about Maryland, the next competition and another opportunity to find the connection that eludes him in Bhubaneswar.

The national record remains the dream. The 90 metre mark is the bigger ambition. And the development of South African javelin is the larger purpose.

For now, Smit's journey remains one of steady progression, a cricketer who discovers the javelin, an athlete who continues to work a full time job while competing internationally, and a thrower who believes that one day he can put his country into the 90 metre conversation.

The next throw, as Smit knows, is always another opportunity.