A question that might "bowl" most sports fans might be when asked which South African coach got athletes to medal at the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Commonwealth Games and World Championships.

Not many might know that the answer to this is Neil Cornelius. Under the Tuks coach's guidance, Luvo Manyonga won silver in the long jump at the 2016 Rio Games. A year later, Manyonga won gold at the World Championships. At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics in Japan, Ntando Mahlangu won gold in the men's T63 long jump. In 2022, Jovan van Vuuren won bronze at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

The Tuks coach is not fazed about his anonymity in South African sports. He is not coaching to be famous. Cornelius's only goal is to help athletes fulfil their dreams.

This is why he spends hours next to the sand pit, trying to figure out what it will take for long and triple jumpers to "fly through the air" for those precious few seconds longer. If they do, it means they will get a medal.

On Sunday from 11:00, Cornelius will be standing at the long jump pit fence as he did during the previous two Olympic Games. The goal is to see if he can guide Van Vuuren to a medal. 

Judging by the results of the last three Olympic Games, the South African got a realistic chance to win a medal. All he needs to do is repeat the 8.30-metre effort he did earlier this season. In 2012, in London, gold was won with an 8.31 metres effort; in 2016, it was in Rio with 8.20 metres, and in 2021, it was in Tokyo with 8.41 metres. 8.30 metres would have been good enough at all three Games for a medal. 

The Tuks's jumper's 8.30 metre effort ranks as the ninth best so far in the world.

Cornelius is having none of this speculation about medals being won through speculation. To him, it is about things first. 

"On Sunday, Jovan's only focus is qualifying for the final. It means he needs to be one of the top 12 jumpers. It means he will have to jump eight metres or further. 

According to Cornelius, the preparation for the Paris Games has gone well.

"The most important thing is that Jovan is injury-free. We did not work on anything specific. I tweaked small things in his technique to help Jovan gain a few extra centimetres."

When asked what goes through a coach's mind when an athlete medals, Cornelius said, "It is difficult to describe as so many things go through one's mind at the moment. Amazed is the best