Women's World Cup: Tazmin Brits' redemption from crushed Olympic dreams

Warning: This article contains themes of suicide and self harm

Despite the devastating physical impact, Tazmin Brits can clearly remember the moment that changed her life.

The song on the radio. The smell of the dirt. How she rolled across the ground. Seeing her javelin spikes flying through the air.

It was November 2011. In the few seconds it took her car to career off the road, Brits' Olympic dream was crushed.

What followed was seven years spent «in a hole» so deep she contemplated taking her own life.

Now, in a remarkable story of resilience and redemption, she is preparing to play for South Africa at the Women's World Cup in New Zealand.

«I'm trying to keep myself composed, but I want to stand on my balcony screaming that I'm at a World Cup,» says the 31-year-old batter. «I'd sleep with my Proteas jersey if I could.»

Originally from Stilfontein, a mining town to the south-west of Johannesburg, a life in sport was always likely for Brits, whose mother played tennis and father and older brother played rugby.

While she tried to compete with boys in football and rugby, as well as playing hockey and netball, it was with the javelin that she really excelled.

In 2007, a 16-year-old Brits was crowned world junior champion in Ostrava, Czech Republic. At the same event, 2012 Olympic champion Kirani James won silver in the boys' 400m.

«I had one throw left,» recalls Brits. «I heard my mum in the background. She gets everywhere. 'Come on Taz!' It psyches you up.

»I started a clap and the whole stadium was clapping.

«I threw this thing, screamed at the line, looked and was wondering 'is this enough'? When it came up on the board, I went crazy. I took the South African flag for a lap of honour. It was a great experience.»

Brits, who has the