WATCH: Aston Manor strong man (54) takes title despite surgery
He broke both his wrists, a vertebra and injured his spine
A young Jan Kruger was replacing a farm’s water tower back in 1982 when an accident happened that would change his life forever.
A misjudgement in the reservoir’s weight caused it to fall 12 metres to the ground, taking 18-year-old Jan with it.
He broke both his wrists, a vertebra and injured his spine.
“I was in pieces,” remembers the now 54-year-old in his living room in Aston Manor.
It was this accident that got him to exercise in the first place, as part of his rehabilitation. Today, the father of two is a three-time master’s world champion powerlifter, with multiple South African and world records under his belt.
“I am a disciplined person who knows what I can do,” he explains, his muscles clearly visible underneath a light purple button-up shirt. Perhaps this explains how he won his division in the Rhino Powerlifting Club’s National Championships in July, only a year after he had major hip surgery.
After an injury in 2015, a tear on the inside of his hip socket had to be repaired. Three anchors were also placed inside his hip to reshape one of the bones.
“It took me a while to recover from the operation,” he says. “It was very frustrating to sit and do nothing. But I started working slowly with the hope of participating again this year.”
And that he did, successfully. Not only did his lift of 720kg let him walk away as the master in his class, he was also named overall best lifter, which secured him a spot on the national team.
“I honestly didn’t think I was going to win,” a humble Jan adds. “It was a difficult road to get to where I am now, and I went through many days of pain. Now, I feel like I’m 80 per cent at where I was before.”
According to him, a big part of his recovery was thanks to his support system.
This strength athlete hopes to break a few more records, before turning 55 on January 14 next year. But don’t think he’ll be stopping his beloved sport any time soon.
“Next year I’m in a new age group. I hope to break many South African and world records in that class.”
With his dedicated exercise regime of 12 hours a week, we’re sure those dreams are well within Jan’s reach.
For those who dream of walking in Jan’s footsteps, his advice is simple: “You have to set goals for yourself. Everything won’t happen in one day.”
