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05 June 2019 | Story Ruan Bruwer
Louzanne Coetzee
Athlete Louzanne Coetzee with the trophy of the Free State Sports Association for the Physically Disabled as Sports Star of the Year.

Although challenging, very exciting and a new journey, says Louzanne Coetzee about the athletics year for which she has been recognised.

The 26-year-old, who is doing her master’s in Social Cohesion and Reconciliation Studies at the University of the Free State, won the Free State Sports Association for the Physically Disabled (FSSAPD) Sports Star of the Year award for a fourth consecutive time. This was for the period June 2018 to April 2019.

In that time, she set a world record, an Africa record, and ran two marathons in which she came amazingly close to a second world record.

Only in her second marathon at the Berlin Marathon in September, the Paralympian fell 26 seconds short of the T11 (totally blind) world record time. She met the qualifying time for the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo during the London Marathon in April.

“Marathons are definitely challenging and a new field for me, but I would say it has been a good 12 months. My aim is now set on next year’s Paralympic Games, where I would like to compete in the marathon and the 1 500 m.”

“I hope to run a good time in the 1 500 m at the World Para Athletics Championships in November.”

At the SASAPD National Championships for physically disabled and visually impaired athletes in April 2019, Coetzee won three gold medals and set a record in the 1 500 m. 

Others from the UFS also honoured

Coetzee has received several awards in her career, but says it is always special to be rewarded by her own federation (FSSAPD). 

Danie Breitenbach (T11) was also honoured as the Senior Male Sports Star. He bagged two gold medals and one silver and set a SA record in both the 800 m and 1 500 m at the nationals. Another Kovsie, Dineo Mokhosoa (F36 – coordination impairments), received a merit award for her gold medal in shot-put and silver in the discus at the national champs.

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Wayde one of the Adidas faces for Rio 2016
2015-11-20

Wayde van Niekerk has not only been nominated for two awards at the SA Sports Awards. He will also be one of the Adidas world ambassadors for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Photo: Johan Roux

Wayde van Niekerk’s face may already adorn billboards at Pellies Park on the Bloemfontein Campus and other places around the University of the Free State, but it will now also be used for marketing campaigns worldwide.

The Kovsie athlete will be one of the Adidas world ambassadors for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Adidas is sponsoring him.

According to a modest Van Niekerk, he has been with the clothing sponsor since 2010, and it is a great honour to be an ambassador for the Olympics in Rio

Other awards

After a dream year, being an Adidas ambassador is the latest honour to come his way.

He was also nominated for two awards in the SA Sports Awards, which will be held in the Sand du Plessis Theatre in Bloemfontein on Sunday 22 November 2015. He was nominated as Sportsman of the Year and in the People’s Choice category.

On 21 October 2015, Van Niekerk was named KovsieSport’s Sportsman of the Year for a third consecutive year.

He was recently also honoured at the Free State Schools Athletics Association’s Gold Medal event.

A world superstar

Van Niekerk says it’s good to be part of the legacy Adidas is building as a company.

“It is exciting for me, knowing that I am selected among such great athletes (being an Adidas ambassador), and not just South African athletes, but world athletes,” he says.

“It is the likes of the top Adidas athletes that are going to represent the company and be ambassadors for the company.”

“It is something I am looking forward to – being on posters and seeing my face on billboards and advertisements.”

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