Frits Potgieter

{{short description|South African discus thrower}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox sportsperson

|image=

|name= Frits Potgieter

|nationality= South African

|club=

|birth_date= {{birth date and age|1974|3|13}}

|birth_place= Pretoria, South Africa

|height= {{height|m=2.03|abbr=yes}}

|weight= {{convert|118|kg|lb|abbr=on}}

}}

Frederick "Frits" Potgieter (born 13 March 1974, in Pretoria[https://web.archive.org/web/20200418031200/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/po/frits-potgieter-1.html Sports-Reference profile]) is a retired South African athlete who competed mostly in the discus throw. He won the silver medal at the 1992 World Junior Championships, as well as several senior medals at regional level. He represented his country at the 2000 Summer Olympics, as well as two World Championships without reaching the final.

Potgieter played for Waterkloof High School and Northern Transvaal's Craven for three years. He then participated at various sporting events, including the Universiade and African Games winning medals in discus throwing discipline. A four-time gold medalist, he was placed in fourth place on the South African all-time list.{{cite news|url=https://www.news24.com/xArchive/Archive/Draconian-policies-push-Frits-out-20010531|title=Draconian policies push Frits out|author=Gert le Roux|website=News24|date=2001-05-31|accessdate=2019-10-10}}

Following 2000 Summer Olympics, Potgieter joined Pretoria Rugby Club, after South African athletics initialized a new policy which states that bans athletes 26 and older to participate in international events.

His personal best in the event was 64.16 metres.

His brother, Karel Potgieter, is a former shot putter.