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03 May 2019 | Story Ruan Bruwer
Lynique Beneke
Lynique Beneke, long jump athlete of the University of the Free State and the national women’s champion seven times in a row, hopes to qualify for the World Championships.
The long jumper, Lynique Beneke, dreams of going to another Olympic Games and jumping over seven metres before she retires.

In between, there is still a World Championship later in the year for which she is trying to qualify. The qualifying standard is 6,72 m, not far from the 6,64 m she achieved at the national athletics championships at the end of April, which earned her a seventh consecutive national crown. At the time, it was the seventh best globally. She will have to qualify in Europe, as the South African season is over.

“With my faith as my biggest support, my mom and I both dreamed about me jumping exactly the same distance of 7,03 m! That is my big goal. I know I can do that,” Beneke (28) said. Her personal best is 6,81 m.

Special bond with coach

She is currently studying Education (BEd Senior and FET phase). “At this moment, I’m focusing on finishing my degree and enjoying my athletics. I want to give my athletics a fair chance, as I am only getting into prime shape now at this age. Once I’m done with athletics, I will focus on a career.”

According to Beneke, a 2016 Olympian and the Kovsie Senior Sportswoman of the Year for 2018, consistency is the name of her game. “I show up, even when I don’t feel like it. I push myself every day. I feel I have so much left in the tank, and that motivates me. All the glory to God.”

She is married to the hurdler, PC (also a Kovsie student). They moved from Gauteng to Bloemfontein at the end of 2017.

“My coach, Emmarie Fouché, was the big influence (coming here). I started working with her at the end of 2015. We work perfectly together; we are both women and have the same work ethic. She understands me. We are very close, and I think that is what makes the difference.”


News Archive

Waldo Staude shares his vision
2014-10-13



Waldo Staude has recently been announced as our new Vice-President of the Student Representative Council (SRC) on the Bloemfontein Campus. And one thing that becomes clear as soon as you meet him, is his passion for leadership.

As a first-year, Staude was a resident in JBM Hertzog. This experience – living on campus together with his fellow students – gave him great insight into the dynamic of human relationships.

By joining the SRC and becoming the Vice-President, Staude believes that he will bring about positive change. "We all tend to complain that 'ja, the SRC doesn't do their job,'” Staude says. But it’s an entirely different reality, he explains, when you are actually in the situation yourself and trying to make a difference.

Through voting, he continues, students not only have an opportunity to raise their concerns, but they exercise their power to become pro-active on campus. "You can take a step and guide this university where it needs to go," he says.

Staude – currently studying BSc Agric – has great faith in South Africa. His dream and vision is to ultimately uplift as many of our country's people as he possibly can.


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