He won a gold medal in the
K2 1000 metres event at the
2020 Summer Olympics as well as a
bronze medal in the K2 500 metres event at the
2024 Summer Olympics, competing alongside
Thomas Green. Jean also competed in the
K1 1000 metres in
Tokyo, finishing in 11th place by coming 3rd in the B-final. Jean Van Der Westhuizen attended an Elite, all-boys boarding school, Michaelhouse in KwaZulu-Natal, Midlands in South Africa. Van der Westhuyzen began as a marathon and sprint paddler. It was only on his immigration to
Australia from
South Africa that he concentrated on sprint racing. In the
2022 Australia Day Honours he was awarded the
Medal of the Order of Australia. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Van der Westhuyzen and Tom Green won bronze in the men's K2. ==Personal life==