Zarck Visser (RSA)WELKOM – Having gradually climbed the global ranks over the last few seasons, Zarck Visser has established himself as South Africa’s premier long jumper, and he hopes to continue his steady progress by earning a podium place at the upcoming Universiade in Gwangju.
Visser, who was born in the small town of Welkom in the Free State province, took some time to surpass former Olympic silver medallist and training partner Khotso Mokoena as the best long jumper in his home country, but once he did there was no looking back.
The 25-year-old University of Johannesburg transportation management student made his first impact at international level when he took seventh place in his specialist event at the 2011 Universiade in Shenzhen. The following year he leaped over eight metres for the first time, and he has gone on to jump 8.15m or further every season since. In 2012, he bagged his first medal at a major event when he secured silver at the African Championships in Benin, and in 2013 he set a personal best of 8.32m in Zurich. He made a real breakthrough last year, however, as he grabbed the silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow before earning the gold medal at the African Championships in Marrakech. He again showed fine form early in the 2015 campaign, after recovering from hip surgery late last year, by jumping 8.18m at a domestic meeting in Germiston in May.
As one of the fastest rising long jump talents in the world, Visser is eager to prove his big match temperament once again with a solid performance at the biennial showpiece in Gwangju.
Determined to prove he has what it takes to beat the best university athletes in the world, he has set his sights on the top step of the podium.
“I am going there to win. I want the gold medal,” he said, sending his opponents a stern warning. “I’m taking this event very seriously and I want another medal to add to my collection.”
He missed out on the previous Universiade in Kazan in 2013, where South Africa ended second in the medals table behind hosts Russia, in order to focus on the IAAF World Championships in Moscow. “Skipping the last Universiade was one of the biggest mistakes I’ve made in my career,” he said. “It is ideal preparation for the World Championships, and most of the guys who win medals at the Games go on to win medals at major senior events. I’m looking forward to competing at the Games again, and I want to give everything I can to represent my country to the best of my ability.”
(Source: USSA)