Career
He broke the 10-second barrier with a run of 9.97 seconds in 2015. Bruintjies took up athletics as a grade 1 schoolboy. He represented South Africa at the 2013 Summer Universiade in the 4 × 100 metres relay.
The South African team placed seventh.
Bruintjies also competed in the 2014 African Championships, taking part in both the individual 100 metres and the 4 × 100 metres relay. In the individual event he was eliminated in the semi-finals, while the South African relay team was disqualified in the heats.
2015 was Bruintjies"s breakthrough year. A month later, he ran 9.97 (+08 m/s) at near-altitude in Louisiana Chaux-de-Fonds, breaking Magakwe"s South African record of 9.98.
He was the third South African (after Magakwe and Simbine) to break 10 seconds in the 100 metres.
Simbine equalled Bruintjies"s record at the Universiade only four days later. Bruintjies was selected for the 2015 World Championships in Beijing.