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Louzanne Coetzee ready to take shot at Paralympics title

27 August 2021 | Story Ruan Bruwer

Coetzee copy — Louzanne Coetzee at the Paralympics in Tokyo with her two guides, Claus Kempen (left) and Estean Badenhorst. She is one of 34 members in Team South Africa.

For some athletes, the postponement of the Paralympics was a big frustration, but for Louzanne Coetzee it was a ‘blessing in disguise’.

According to the former University of the Free State (UFS) student and current Residence Head of Akasia on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus, she was more than happy to get another 12 months to prepare herself to the very best of her ability. She will be in action at the Tokyo Paralympics in the 1 500 m on Sunday (29 August 2021) and Monday (30 August). On 5 September, she will tackle the marathon. It is her second Paralympics.

“This is the most exited I have ever been for an event. It has been so long since I was able to compete on a high level. I think it is a blessing in disguise. It allowed me more time to prepare. I’m in a great state and I cannot wait,” she said.

In the 1 500 m, Coetzee will be guided by Estean Badenhorst. In the marathon she will run next to Claus Kempen, with whom she has completed a couple of marathons before.

“They are both very experienced and I’m fortunate to have such a great team with me. When you are running an event like the 1 500 m, you need to fully trust your guide with his decision making.”

“The main focus is the track item. I won’t put too much pressure on myself in the marathon. The prime goal is to gain experience in the longer distance, because that is where I’ll be shifting in the future,” she explained.

The South African 1 500 m record holder in the T11 classification (totally blind) clocked a personal best time of 4:51.65 in 2019. She is the world record holder in the 5 000 m; however, the item does not feature on the Paralympic programme.

News Archive

Nominations for Kovsie Alumni Awards now open

2014-07-15

It is time for the Kovsie Alumnus Awards Dinner again. The University of the Free State’s (UFS’s) Alumni office invites the UFS community and the public to nominate alumni for the Kovsie Alumnus awards.

This year’s dinner will be held on Friday 19 September 2014, where alumni and staff will be honoured for their outstanding contributions and achievements during 2013 – either in their personal capacity or in their respective professional fields.

Nominations are awaited in the following categories:

• Kovsie Alumnus of the year
The Kovsie Alumnus of the Year Award honours the outstanding achievements of a Kovsie alumnus on national or international level. The person must still be alive.

• Cum Laude Award
The Cum Laude Award is occasionally bestowed on an alumnus for outstanding service or achievement on regional, national or international level in their field of work.

• Executive Management Award
The Alumni Award for outstanding service to the UFS is occasionally made to any person (not necessarily an alumnus) who delivers/delivered exceptional service to the university.

• Kovsie Alumni Ambassador Award
The Kovsie Ambassador Award is awarded from time to time to any person (not necessarily an alumnus) who continuously delivers/delivered excellent service to the university and who has a passion for the university.

Send nominations to Kathy Verwey of the UFS’s Alumni office at verweyke@ufs.ac.za on or before Friday 18 July 2014 or phone +27(0)51 401 9343 for more information.

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