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08 April 2019 | Story Ruan Bruwer
Danie Breitenbach and Oratile Molale
Danie Breitenbach (left) and his guide, Oratile Molale. Breitenbach ran two South African records shortly after each other.

Before the event, he didn’t think it was possible to set two new national track records within 18 hours, but he gained so much confidence after the first win that Danie Breitenbach decided to simply go for it.

With the help of his guide, Oratile Molale, the final-year Law student at the University of the Free State bettered his own South African records in the 800 m (2:05,04) and 1 500 m (4:25.59) in the T11 category (completely blind athletes). This was at the SASAPD National Championships for physically disabled and visually impaired athletes in Stellenbosch. His previous records were set in 2017.

“I struggled with various injuries over a period of two and a half years, during which I never managed to gain my top form. Since January, I was able to train injury-free. I was confident that I could improve on my 800 m record of 2:08,90. Having had such a great first race gave me the confidence to give the 1 500 m record a go the next morning,” Breitenbach (24) said.

With no 800 m event at the Paralympic Games or the World Championships, he is hoping to qualify in the 1 500 m for next year’s Paralympic Games. “I will have to improve on my time, as they are only taking about the top-five in the world. I’m sure I can go quicker with another couple of months of training.”

“I’ve been to a few international events, but these two records will rate among my best achievements. I compete in the 400 m, 800 m, and 1 500 m, but the 800 m is my favourite. I enjoy the balance between speed and endurance.”

Breitenbach was born with limited vision, but at the age of ten became completely blind after suffering a retinal release.

News Archive

Political scientist address Maritime Security Africa 2009 Conference
2009-10-29

 
Prof. Theo Neethling from the Department of Political Science was recently invited to address the Maritime Security Africa 2009 Conference on the issues of piracy on the eastern coast of Africa held in Cape Town on 13 and 14 October 2009. The event brought together maritime professionals, naval personnel and academics from all over the international community.

Prof. Neethling’s paper was entitled Piracy on the eastern coast of Africa: A Political Science perspective. His paper examined the fact that growing activities of piracy in the Gulf of Aden and off the Horn of Africa have increasingly threatened maritime security on the eastern coast of Africa. Prof. Neethling pointed out that, considering the fact that a very high volume of the world’s global trade moves by water, piracy is corrosive to political and social development in Africa and further afield. To this end, he explored several maritime endeavours that were launched in recent times by relevant governmental, intergovernmental and nongovernmental role players in the context of global governance. Prof. Neethling argued that piracy should be tackled in a way that combines naval action against the pirates at sea with measures to restore law and order, political processes and economic activity in Somalia. Generally, piracy often occurs when there is poverty and a weak or non-existent government. After all, insecurity on land eventually causes maritime insecurity – as is clear from the case of Somalia.
Photo: Supplied

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