What better way to prepare for the next Olympic Games than to immerse yourself in the host city and future Olympic Village thanks to your dual career?
That may not necessarily have been the main focus when South African javelin star – and double FISU World University Games bronze medallist – Jana van Schalkwyk switched her native Cape Town for Los Angeles, but a personal promise made 13 years ago might very well result in a return to the ‘City of Angels’ in 2028.
The 24-year-old digital marketing student took up javelin in junior school, attempting her very first throw at an inter-school athletics event at age 12.
“After my first throw I asked one of the older athletes to teach me how to hold the javelin as it was a no-throw,” she reminisces. “On my second throw I broke the school record by eight meters. Just seven weeks later I made my first national championship and earned the silver medal while being the only athlete throwing barefoot. And the rest is history.”
Continuing her dual career through high school and then university level at Stellenbosch University, Jana then caught the eye of US-based scouts while competing in her first event abroad, the Hungarian GP Series.
“After my first competition in Europe, where I threw a new personal best, there was a couple of US universities that contacted me via Instagram,” she says. “I did not think a lot about it as I was set on continuing my studies in South Africa. When I got the message from UCLA I could not resist, as it was a school I’ve dreamed of studying at since a young age. It was definitely a big jump from South Africa to the USA, especially Los Angeles, comparing just the size of the city. It was challenging, but an opportunity I’d definitely take on again.”
The pride of becoming a FISU Games double medallist
Earning a bronze medal in the women’s javelin event at the Chengdu FISU World University Games held in 2023, Jana repeated the feat this year at the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games, albeit in dramatic circumstances.
“My emotions ran extremely high in the final,” she starts. “After my first two throws I was in 11th place with one throw left to make the top 8 cut. It was quite nerve-wracking at that moment, but I was able to calm my mind and execute what I’d been rehearsing in my mind prior to the competition. When I moved to 2nd with my third throw, I knew that I could start relaxing and enjoying the competition which really made it special.
“Becoming a double FISU-medallist made me extremely proud. It is always special to bring home a medal for your country.”
The South African student says adapting to the American system and intense training sessions was not easy, but acknowledges the impact it’s had on her performances.
“The college track and field system in the US is very different to South Africa, and it was quite a big adjustment for me,” she explains. “In the USA you have a lot of collegiate competitions you can take part in, whereas in South Africa the only official collegiate competition is our national university championships. This was definitely a big adjustment for me and my body as I was not used to such a competitive level, week in and week out. The training system is also very structured and professional which helped a lot with understanding and planning what my body needed to be able to perform at the optimal level.”
Possibly by chance, or fate, but the very campus at which Jana studied will become the Olympic Village of the 2028 Olympic Games – with a return in three years’ time in her sights, as she aims to fulfil a promise she made to her younger self.
The five rings on the horizon
“I remember a seed being planted after watching the 2012 London Olympic Games on television,” she reveals. “I made a pact that I could not stop before competing at an Olympic Games.
“Having spent the last year at UCLA, I now know what to expect in terms of facilities, the area, transportation and the culture, which will definitely be a plus point. And not to mention the nostalgia of returning for a major event where I once lived and made lifelong memories.”
Jana plans to rest and recuperate for the rest of the year, with the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow her next major competition – a stepping stone on ‘Mission LA2028’ ahead of her dream Los Angeles return.
Written by Fabio De Dominicis, pictures provided by Jana van Schalwyk
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