HIGH POINT, N.C. -- Just two seasons after coming back from a torn achilles injury in 2022,
Chris Van Niekerk is headed to the big stage at the NCAA National Championships in Eugene, Oregon for the first time in his career. The fifth-year senior thrower qualified in the men's shot put after throwing a program and Big South record 19.12 meters at the NCAA East First Rounds.
NCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS | EUGENE, OREGON
June 5-8th | Meet Information | Meet Schedule | Live Results | ESPN+
Since coming to High Point from South Africa as a freshman in the fall of 2019, making it to the NCAA Championships has always been a goal of Van Niekerk's. After the 2020 outdoor season was canceled due to COVID-19, his first opportunity to make the NCAA First Rounds was during his sophomore season, which he did in both the shot put and discus. He had the highest placement in the discus between the two events, finishing in 19th and just seven spots shy from making the cut for the NCAA Championships.
As a young thrower in the collegiate world, he knew there was room for improvement and got back to work during his junior season. Finishing as the 2022 Big South Indoor Champion in the shot put, he moved on to the outdoor season and competed at six meets. He was moving in the right direction in the shot put and discus as he was consistently throwing over 17m in the shot put and right around 56m in the discus, recording an impressive personal best 59.57m at the Bob Davidson Memorial in mid-March.
His season took a dramatic turn in late April as he was preparing for the Big South Championships when he tore his achilles at practice.
"The season that I tore my achilles, I felt that I had the best shot of making it to the NCAA Championships," Van Niekerk stated.
After experiencing another season without a chance to make it to the NCAAs, Van Niekerk took it one day at a time, rehabbing his ankle to get back to where he was.
In just eight months, Van Niekerk was back competing for his senior season in 2023. In his first indoor meet of the season at the Dick Taylor Carolina Challenge, he threw 17.10m in the shot put. By the time the indoor championships arrived, he threw 18.08m for second place in the shot put. During the outdoor season, he qualified for the NCAA East Preliminary Round in both the shot put and discus and capped off the regular season with two Big South first place titles after throwing 18.00m in the shot put and 52.56m in the discus.
At the NCAA East Preliminary Round in Jacksonville, Florida, Van Niekerk had his highest placement in the discus between the two events, throwing 54.29m. Similar to his sophomore season, he missed the cut by seven spots to make it to Austin, Texas for the championships.
After four years of various season setbacks and not making it past the NCAA First Rounds, Van Niekerk felt the disappointment following his senior season.
"Every regional I always felt I had a shot of making it," Van Niekerk said, "and it has always been really disappointing not to make it."
"This year I kind of changed my mindset going into it," he added. "Instead of psyching myself out, I just tried to stay calm in the moment and do what I needed to do."
Van Niekerk did just that. On his second throw in the men's shot put, he launched the 16-pound ball a Big South and program record 19.12m from the circle, receiving quite the impressed reaction from the crowd.
A key factor in his success at the NCAA East First Rounds was staying calm; physically and mentally.
"In warm ups, I went to the indoor facility to distance myself from everything and just try to stay calm," Van Niekerk said. "When I got down to the circle, you know everyone's always super nervous, so I was just trying to stay in my own lane. Warm ups felt really good, and Coach [Scott] Hall said, 'You know you're doing really well so you're going to throw some bombs today.' "My first throw was solid at 18.40m, but I knew that was not going to be enough so my second throw I was like, 'Alright Chris you cannot save this for the last throw, so you have to do it now.'
"Then luckily I got 19.12m on that throw and I was like, 'Okay, this should be enough,' and then I just started praying, 'Please be enough.' "Then on my last throw I was still sitting in sixth or seventh, so I got the slow clap going to try to throw it farther and then that didn't work so luckily, I got the second throw."
The 19.12m bomb landed him a spot in ninth place overall, granting him a slot in the NCAA National Championships in Eugene, Oregon for the first time in his career.
"It was a huge sigh of relief to finally know that I am going to Eugene," Van
Niekerk commented. "Like I said, it's been a long-term goal of mine and it just felt like all the hard work and rehab finally paid off."
"His impact on the program is tremendous," Associate Head Coach
Dr. Scott Hall said. "His leadership, performance, and academic excellence to qualify for the NCAA Championship final is the culmination of a lot of hard work, overcoming setbacks (ruptured Achilles) and mental strength. He ranks as the best thrower in Big South history. This week, he has the chance to write the final chapter in an outstanding collegiate career. He has prepared well and is looking forward to competing against the best in Eugene."
Van Niekerk prepares to compete on Wednesday, June 5th at Hayward Field in the men's shot put. The first throw is scheduled for 6:40 P.M. PT (9:40 P.M. ET).
"I just want to thank my parents for always encouraging me, especially my dad," Van Niekerk said, "he honestly knew that I could have potential at this, so he always pushed me and supported me. I want to thank High Point Track and Field for giving me the chance to compete at this level and I want to thank Coach Hall especially for these past five years."
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