Over-training may have landed Paralympian Jaco ‘Bullet’Smit in the hospital, but the unfortunate incident could be just the thing to get him back on track to represent his country at the upcoming Commonwealth Games. His determination and attitude caught the attention of staff at the Livingstone Hospital in Nelson Mandela Bay, and they have banded together to assist the visually impaired athlete as he prepares for his next big race. (Photo: Roger Sedras / Gallo Images Sitting in his hospital bed in Nelson Mandela Bay, Jaco Smit has already planned out a training schedule that will put him on track for his next big race.
“Bullet”, as he is commonly known, is no stranger to hardship, and the South African Paralympian has made a living out of overcoming odds to make it onto the world stage.
So when he trained himself into a collapsed lung and landed in Livingstone Hospital in Gqeberha 11 days ago, the visually impaired sprinter saw it as just another challenge to overcome while preparing for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow later this year.
“It’s really not a big deal. I have spoken to the doctors, my recovery is going well, and I will be back to training in a few weeks, stronger than ever,” Bullet said.
And it is exactly this sense of dedication and determination, along with his friendly and charismatic demeanour, that has inspired the hospital staff treating him to go the extra mile.
Besides getting him up and running again, they have launched a fundraising campaign to assist Smit with better equipment that could help him train smarter and better prepare him for races to come.
/file/attachments/orphans/JacoSmit3_718046.jpg "With the help of Dr Malaika Coetzer (right), Paralympian Jaco ‘Bullet’ Smit is expected to make a full recovery after over-training caused his right lung to collapse a week ago. Coetzer, along with other staff at the Livingstone Hospital in Nelson Mandela Bay, have started a fundraising campaign to for new equipment to assist Smit in his preparations for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Scotland. (Photo: Supplied / Malaika Coetzer)")
Born and raised in the Eastern Cape town of Humansdorp, where drug abuse and violent street gangs are rife, Smit turned to sport to escape the social ills of his neighbourhood.
Attending Graslaagte Primary School, and subsequently Humansdorp Secondary School, he participated in every sport possible. Unfortunately, his eyesight started to deteriorate at a young age and he was forced to withdraw from most sports.
He was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a rare genetic disorder that causes the retina to degenerate over time, narrowing his field of vision and decreasing his visual quality to the point where he was declared legally blind.
And while many might opt to run from their problems metaphorically, Bullet did it literally, and channeled his passion for sports into athletics.
Starting with the 1,500m and 800m, he later dedicated his time and energy to shorter distances, focusing on the 400m, 200m and 100m sprints.
“I used to hitchhike from Humansdorp to Gqeberha in the mornings, hoping I would be on time for training sessions. But I was determined not to let anything stand in the way of me reaching my dreams,” Smit said.
He ran his way to the top, and has represented South Africa at the Commonwealth Games as well as the Paralympics in the T12 category for visually impaired athletes. In 2024, he competed in the Paris Paralympic games, placing second in his heat, narrowly missing a shot at finishing on the podium.
As he ramped up training in preparation for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Smit suffered a setback during a training session in Nelson Mandela Bay at the end of February. A spontaneous pneumothorax – a collapsed lung – landed him in Livingstone Hospital.
When asked about the incident, Smit said he did not want to elaborate as he regarded it as nothing more than “an inconvenience”, and Dr Malaika Coetzer agreed that it should not hamper his performance for too long.
“We tested for any possible underlying causes, but all signs indicate that Jaco’s right lung simply collapsed from being overworked. His condition is very treatable and he will likely be back to training in a few weeks.”
But beyond treating his symptoms, Coetzer and other medical staff were immediately captivated by Smit’s story, his dedication and overall attitude despite his hardships.
“Through his treatment I got to know Jaco better and his motivation and dedication to his craft moved me. He has managed to achieve so much despite his disability, and a lot of it on his own, that my colleagues and I knew we had to try and help him.”
She said one reason why Smit landed in hospital was because he didn’t have certain equipment, such an effective heart-rate monitor, to help him train smarter and keep an eye on his vitals during strenuous training sessions.
Coetzer has started an online fundraiser through which she hopes to raise enough funds for Smit to buy a smartwatch that can track his vitals accurately, as well as a set of conduction headphones.
“Due to his visual impairment he cannot use normal headphones. It will completely cut him off from the world. Bone conduction headphones will allow him to hear what is happening around him, but also allow him to hear the information the smart device is capturing,” Coetzer said.
Coetzer said that if his recovery goes well, Bullet could return to training by April and still have enough time to qualify for a spot at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, scheduled to start on 23 July.
Smit expressed his gratitude to Coetzer and other staff members who have taken a personal interest in his recovery.
“This is an inconvenience and a minor setback, but it will not deter me from reaching my goal. I am very grateful to everyone who has invested in my recovery, and I am more motivated than ever to compete,” Bullet said. DM