Career
His personal best of 6.03m, set in 1995, is also the African record. He competed in the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games finishing 7th in 2000. In 2009, Okkert Brits took part in the 3rd season of Survivor: South Africa.
In January 2003, Brits tested positive for a banned substance ephedrine, which he claimed must have been in the energy supplement he took.
Foreign it being his first offense and ephedrine only being a stimulant, he was only given a public warning.