Aiden Smith targets South African shot-put record

The national record, set by Janus Robberts with a distance of 21.97m in Eugene, USA, on 2 June 2001, has stood for more than two decades.

Smith’s personal best stands at 20.73m, and he believes that with focus and hard work, he can make history next season.

Speaking to SABC Sport, Smith said his main goal in the new season will be to chase the record.

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Smith, who is pursuing a qualification in Business Financial Retail Management at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), said his father, Rudi Smith, is his biggest role model—even though his dad doesn’t fully understand the technicalities of the sport.

He draws inspiration and motivation from him as both a mentor and supporter.

The 28-year-old has been involved in shot put for five years, starting in high school, and has worked with coach Stan Van Rooyen for the past three years.

 Under Van Rooyen’s guidance, Smith has shown steady improvement with each competition and believes he is getting closer to achieving world-class distances.

Smith admits that shot put is an expensive discipline to maintain, particularly due to the dietary demands. He explained that his daily nutrition plan requires a large intake of food to help him build and sustain muscle strength for competition readiness.

The TUT student-athlete praised the university for its strong support system, which helps him balance his studies with his sporting commitments. Smith said TUT allows him flexibility to catch up on coursework whenever he travels for competitions locally and internationally.