From Langa to the world: dual sport prodigy is making a name for himself

It is not often that a person can participate in two sports at a high level: it takes dedication, time management, sacrifice and exceptional athletic ability.

Over the past few years South Africa has watched Riley Norton become a household name by excelling in rugby and cricket. Now, Langa-born Litha Kraai is making waves in two sports and quickly becoming a household name in schoolboy sports. This time it is in hockey and cricket.

In this season’s T20 Challenge, Kraai was named as the 12th man for five games for Western Province. Chances are he would have stayed on the squad, but on 24 November he hopped on a plane to India to represent South Africa in the 14th edition of the FIH Junior Hockey World Cup.

Hockey has been a part of Kraai’s life since a very young age. His brother, Zenani Kraai, who has represented South Africa at the Olympics, played for the Langa Hockey Club and Kraai, seven years his junior, would find himself tagging along.

“Since a young age, we just stayed at the astro in Langa and played hockey,” Kraai told Daily Maverick. “I fell in love with it and I never stopped.”

His brother was a “big inspiration”, Kraai said. Watching him play in the Langa first side at just 14 years old, Kraai knew that he wanted to be like his brother – to represent his club in the first team.

Little did he know that he would also go on to represent his school – South African College High School (Sacs), the No 1 ranked school in the country for hockey – his club and his country.

Making history in the process

This year was a busy one for the hockey star – and possibly his best yet. James Peverley, head of sport at Sacs, says Kraai has been a part of the first team squad since Grade 8. And in May, he reached a significant milestone of 100 caps.

Kraai was also included in the South African squad for the Junior Africa World Cup, in which he snagged six goals – the second-highest in the tournament. South Africa won the tournament, which secured them automatic qualification for the FIH (International Hockey Federation) Hockey Junior World Cup in India, for which Kraai was unquestionably selected. “It’s been a crazy year, to say the least,” he said.

But the standout moment of this year, and possibly of his hockey career so far, was securing the bronze medal at the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup in Croatia in February, the first time South Africa has won a medal in a world cup in the sport.

Kraai scored two goals in the tournament, one against Poland in the final group stage that put South Africa in the lead for the first time in the game. It was a seamless reverse flick with no defenders around, and the crowd went wild.

“Winning the first world cup medal for your country, it’s a big achievement,” Kraai said. “I was overwhelmed with happiness.”

As incredible as it is to reach these milestones at such a young age (Kraai is entering his final year of high school next year), what sets him apart is that hockey is not the only sport he competes in at such a high level. The hockey star has also risen through the ranks as an all-rounder in cricket.

Then came cricket

In addition to playing hockey on a national level, Kraai has his sights set on playing cricket at provincial level.

“He is a wonderfully gifted young man who is also very kind, polite and humble,” Peverley told Daily Maverick. “His family in Langa and at Sacs are very proud of him.”

Kraai believes the two sports complement each other: they have taught him both mental strength and endurance. Whereas cricket is a longer format requiring lengthier focus, hockey enforces the quick-thinking skills that can seamlessly be applied in the leather ball sport.

This young man has achieved a feat very few others have. But it is not easy balancing school and two high-performance sports. “It’s really difficult,” Kraai said, “I just take it one game at a time.”

“I think Litha handles all the pressure remarkably well for someone of his age,” Peverley said. “There are a lot of external factors and pressure on him, and he balances them, school and his school sporting commitments with great maturity.”

Some time last year, the pressure almost got to him and he wanted to quit cricket as he was “not enjoying” the sport.

But after some encouragement from his father, Kraai continued and this year he was named in the Western Province squad for the T20 Challenge.

‘Ride the wave’

Cutting his cricket stint short to represent South Africa in the FIH Junior Hockey World Cup is a precursor for the tough decisions that lie ahead for the dual prodigy. He will try to pursue both sports, but Kraai knows he will soon have to choose which sport to leave behind.

Although the answer may seem obvious, it will still be a difficult choice. “I love both sports,” he said. “The main goal of this year and next year is to just to try to ride the wave with all sports and see what ­happens.”

For now, Kraai aims to focus on the task at hand: the prospect of reaching the quarter finals of the Junior World Cup in India if everything works in their favour. DM

This story first appeared in our weekly DM168 newspaper, available countrywide for R35.