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07 February 2018 Photo Facebook
Louzanne and Marné included in national student cross country teams
Athlete Louzanne Coetzee, and her guide, Xavier Adams
Two Kovsie athletes, including the blind athlete and world record holder, Louzanne Coetzee, have been included in the national student cross country team.

Coetzee and Marné Mentz will compete at the World Student Cross Country championship on 7 April in St Gallen in Switzerland.

They qualified for the team after good performances at the Athletics South Africa’s cross country trials held at the University of the Free State (UFS) on 20 January. The distance was over 10km.

What makes Coetzee’s inclusion even more remarkable is the fact that she will be competing against able-bodied runners. The world record holder in the 5 000m in her disability category (T-11) and her new guide, Xavier Adams, finished first among the female students in a time of 39:32, which is her personal best. Mentz ended in second place for students in 39:44. They will make up two of the six spots in the women’s team in Switzerland.

First for Coetzee

 It is the first time that Coetzee was chosen for an able-bodied national team. She is doing a master’s degree in Reconciliation and Social Cohesion this year and Mentz is in her final year of a BEd Intermediate Phase.

Tshepang Sello, another Kovsie and an Olympic athlete from Lesotho, took first position for students in 38:04 but did not qualify for the South African team because of her Lesotho citizenship.

Kesa Molotsane (35:29) was the overall winner. Although Molotsane is still doing her honours this year, she ran in the open division as she no longer qualifies as a student because she is over the age of 25, according to University Sport South Africa regulations.

Molotsane ,26, is the national cross country champion of 2016 and obtained second spot last year.

News Archive

Shimlas have a bunch of fighters for a tough week, says Scholtz
2016-03-18


Scrumhalf Zee Mkhabela is one of the senior Shimla players who will have to help his team play three Varsity Cup matches within a week. Photo: Christaan Kotzé/SASPA

Luckily, he has a bunch of fighters in his rugby group to take on the week ahead, which is almost like a USSA rugby week with a lot of matches in a row.

This is what Hendro Scholtz, the Shimla coach, had to say about the upcoming Varsity Cup week, with his team playing three games within a week. His team will play against the University of Johannesburg (UJ) on 21 March 2016, after which they will face Maties in Cape Town on 24 March 2016, and then take on Pukke in the Mother City on 28 March 2016.

The schedule for the Varsity Cup series had to be adapted due to the recent unrest on campuses across South Africa.

According to Scholtz, the versatility of his players and the attitude of the University of the Free State (UFS) rugby team counts in their favour for the week that lies ahead. Several of the Shimla players can play in more than one position.

The Shimlas will travel with a group of 29 players, and will, after their match in the City of Gold, fly directly to Cape Town for their other two league matches.

“We will take six extra players (other than the 23-man squad) with us,” Scholtz said.

“One should select a group for this week that can fight, hang in there, and are able to play another match or two. It is like a USSA week where you need fighters.”

Prop Chase Morison, who was given a red card against the Central University of Technology in Johannesburg on 14 March 2016, wasn't sighted, and is available to play again. The Shimlas are still unbeaten after winning 10-9 against CUT in the FNB Stadium. Flyhalf Pieter-Steyn de Wet, who missed the game against CUT due to an injury, will be able to play against UJ.

The Kovsie Young Guns and Vishuis, the residence representative for the UFS, will also play a couple of matches in the coming week.

Fixtures:

Shimlas: 21 March: Shimlas v UJ (FNB Stadium); 24 March: Maties v Shimlas (Cape Town Stadium); 28 March: Puk v Shimlas (Cape Town Stadium).

Kovsie Young Guns: 19 March: Kovsie Young Guns v UJ (Rand Stadium); 24 March: Puk v Kovsie Young Guns (Rand Stadium).

Vishuis: 24 March: Vishuis tv Harlequins (NMMU, Rand Stadium); 26 March: Mopanie tv Vishuis (Tuks, (Wanderers Rugby Club); 28 March: Oppierif v Vishuis (UJ, FNB Stadium).

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