Jovan van Vuuren (Tuks) can genuinely claim to have gone from “zero to hero” on Friday when he won the long jump with an effort of 8.10m during the USSA Championships in Stellenbosch.

According to statistics, he is now one of the “Big Boys” of South African long jumping as he is only the 14th local athlete to break through the iconic eight metres barrier. More importantly, is that the Tuks athlete now ranks as South Africa’s ninth-best long jumper of all time. His previous best distance was 7.82m.

But then again stats never tell the full story. If somebody would have asked Van Vuuren four weeks ago how he sees his season play out his only possible answer would have been that he would like to redeem himself. Sort of as an afterthought he might have mentioned that he still is aiming to qualify for the World Student Games in Italy.

The reality, however, was that the Tuks athlete was down out. He had finished last in the Varsity Athletics Meeting in Stellenbosch. He would have been excused if he only whispered the distance he had jumped. Jumping 5.50 metres in a senior competition was plainly embarrassing.

In spite of this setback Neil Cornelius who coaches Van Vuuren has not lost confidence in his protégé’s abilities. He went on record telling anyone who was prepared to listen that Van Vuuren was going to jump eight metres before the end of the season. As far as Cornelius was concerned it was just a matter of getting back to the basics. He reasons that although true champions might falter at times, they always do bounce back.

Van Vuuren did not disappoint. On Friday with his first attempt, he surprised himself and everyone else watching by jumping 8.02m. Unfortunately, the wind from behind was too strong. It did not matter. It was the confidence booster the Tuks athlete needed. He knew he was capable of another significant effort.  It was just a matter of keeping calm which was not easy as he could feel the adrenaline pumping.

His over-eagerness led to him overstepping with his next three attempts. But somehow he managed to get control of his nerves before his fifth attempt. That was the big one. The 8.10m jump with a legal wind metre reading. Cornelius admits that at first, he did not appreciate at first what he had just witnessed.

“Jevon really made it look oh so easy. However, I should have realised it is the easy jumps that are the big ones.”

According to Van Vuuren what he had achieved has not really sunk in yet.

“I don’t remember anything about that jump. I don't think I am yet appreciating that I might now be capable of playing with the 'Big Boys'  – Luvo Manyonga, Ruswhal Samaai and Zarck Visser. If I can jump only seven centimetres further, I will qualify for the World Championships," said the highly motivated Tuks athlete.

North West was the overall winners of the USSA Championships winning 29 medals (10 gold, 10 silver and 9 bronze). Tuks was second with 25 medals (8 gold, 8 silver and 9 bronze) with UJ third 20 medals (7 gold, 7 silver and six bronze).