At the age of 39 most athletes would be considering life after the game – if they hadn’t already transitioned into the next phase.
Even more so if you are a mother to an 18-year-old son and have already achieved the distinction of Olympic and World Championship silver medals in the javelin.
But not Sunette Viljoen. Not only has Viljoen continued to compete at an elite level, but she’s changed course entirely to pursue her first love of cricket.
In contrast to current Proteas Women opener Tasmin Brits, who only transferred to cricket after injury curtailed her Olympic javelin ambitions, Viljoen’s prowess for launching the javelin an African record of 69.5m hails from bowling to her brothers in the back yard.
Back in the day
Prior to her javelin career Viljoen was at the time the youngest woman to play international cricket for South Africa, with one Test and four ODI caps. Her last international appearance was 21 years ago, but time has not dimmed her desire to wear the green and gold again.
It is why the Alberton High School teacher rises daily at 4.30am before heading to school to get in her gym routine. In a sport where fitness issues have led to prominent players retiring, Viljoen is setting the benchmark.
“Nobody has ever needed to tell me to train. It is instinctively part of me. I am used to high intensity training,” Viljoen said at the Lions 2023/24 season launch on Friday at The Wanderers.
“Let’s take Olympic qualification for example. You only have three attempts and if you don’t make it, then you are out. It’s that simple. Therefore the work that you put in beforehand has to prepare you for that moment. I think cricket (fitness) standards are actually very lenient.
“If Cricket SA sets out a criteria, and that’s what we must run, then that’s it. I think moving to a professional era now, and that’s the expectancy, then that’s what we need to do. It can only help each and every player to get fitter, stronger, faster. And that’s how the overall level and standard of women’s cricket will improve.”
Viljoen also understands pressure, like when she stood on the Rio de Janeiro tartan track in 2016 knowing that the country was willing her on to atone for her London disappointment four years earlier.
How does that pressure compare to facing someone like Proteas fast bowling legend and her new Lions teammate Shabnim Ismail out in the middle?
“It is actually a very different adrenaline rush to opening the batting and throwing in an Olympic final. I think the biggest thing is that you can’t fear failure. That is part of sport,” Viljoen said.
“But I live for that adrenaline rush. I have actually never faced Shabby (laughs) but I’ll get to face her in the nets soon (laughs again). But I have faced Ayabonga (Khaka) and Tumi (Sekhukhune) and I love it because you are always wanting to test yourself against the best.”
Good timing
Viljoen’s return coincides with Cricket SA having recently launched a professional women’s league.
It will most likely mean that Viljoen will need to give up her teaching duties, even though “I really love working with the kids”, but she can now turn her full attention to hopefully joining her Lions teammates Khaka, Sekhukhune and Sinalo Jafta at the Proteas.
She’s already shown good early season form by striking 87 against Easterns in a warm-up T20 match this past week.
“It was totally different back then. It was completely amateur. There was nothing for women cricketers. But these days, and if you look at all the exposure and the women’s leagues that are available to the players, it's absolutely amazing,” Viljoen said.
“So, for me to be part of this era, is really a privilege. And I feel that I have a God-given talent when it comes to sport and that’s why I have this desire to want to be the best. And that means to play at the highest level, which is the Proteas. That’s why I do it. Anything I want to do, I want to be the best. I know what I can do. It’s such a privilege to be here at the Lions, opening the batting in T20s, and I am really enjoying it. We didn’t play T20 cricket when I started playing. So, I am playing without any fear and I definitely still have the ambition to play for the Proteas again.”
IOL Sport