Okkert Brits voted off the island

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http://www.weekendpost.co.za/article.aspx?id=543784

Pole vault legend Brits is home from ‘Survivor SA’

2010/03/20
Khanyi Ndabeni


Okkert Brits
IT IS back to a life of enjoying his freedom and spending time with friends and family after African pole vault record holder Okkert Brits, 36, was voted off the M-Net reality show Survivor South Africa, Santa Carolina on Wednesday night.
Uitenhage-born Brits, one of the most organised and fiercest players on the show, was voted off by his devious tribe mates. He became the third Survivor jury member, joining actors Hanna Grobler and Louw Venter.
“I’m happy that I am going back to my wife, Jane, and two children. I haven’t been able to communicate with them for 19 days and this has been eating me up,” he said.
Brits was due to fly back to Port Elizabeth this coming Monday, but had to rush home yesterday because Jane and the children had taken ill.
“One of the things that killed me on the show was not being able to communicate with them. I kept myself busy on the island so that I could keep my mind from wondering how they were back home,” he said.
Brits – who has lost 12kg since entering the competition – said his wife had encouraged him to enter, as she is a fan of reality shows.
“One of the main reasons for entering was to win the R500000 for my charity. But one of the things I took out of the show was the amazing experience of knowing how it is to be super-hungry and how it is not to sleep well every night.
“They took everything away from us and we slept under the sky,” he said. The experience of not being able to eat whenever he felt hungry made Brits realise the need to do more charity work.
Athletics legend Brits competed in the pole vault and set many records. He has won numerous medals at international events and competed in the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games, finishing 7th in 2000.
Being a sportsman among several South African celebrities who took part in the show helped him stay motivated when things got tough. “Most contestants were full of nonsense, moaning all the time. Others thought they were the boss on the island,” he said.
Brits said he had enjoyed the company of Molemo “Jub Jub” Maarohanye, the hip-hop artist who recently made headlines after four schoolchildren died when they were hit by his car. in Soweto.
“I enjoyed Jub Jub’s company. He was funny and easy to get along with. I really feel for what he is going through right now,” he said.
While on the show Brits steam-rolled his tribe, Chibudu, to victory in challenge after challenge, and crept into viewer’s hearts with his earnest attitude and piercing blue eyes.
“I couldn’t believe it when I was told I’d been voted off. It was as if I was in a school playground and some of the kids didn’t want to play with me any more,” he said.