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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

Kovsie wins luxury apartment in Paarl-Franschhoek Valley

2016-11-09

Description: Win A Home Tags: Win A Home

Palesa Moisi, winner of the Win A Home
competition on the Afternoon Express
Show on SABC 3.
Photo: Win A Home

The saying “Dreams do come true” is a perfect explanation for 25-year-old Palesa Moisi who was announced winner of the Win A Home competition.

Palesa, who is currently completing a Postgraduate Certificate in Education at the University of the Free State, is the proud owner of a beautiful apartment worth almost R3 million. The day after the announcement, she was escorted to the Val de Vie Estate to pick her dream apartment from three beautiful designer apartments.

Proud owner of apartment at Val de Vie

With Win A Home Season 3 on SABC 3’s Afternoon Express, viewers not only stood a chance to win bi-weekly prizes, but Palesa walked away with a two-bedroomed furnished apartment in the Polo Village at the prestigious Val de Vie Estate in the Paarl-Franschhoek Valley near Cape Town. The draw took place on 26 August 2016 at the Afternoon Express Studios.

Time stood still for a moment

Palesa says when she stepped towards the safe, which each contestant was assigned to, and opened it, everything just stood still. A key to the apartment was inside one of the safes. “My mind was somewhere else and when I saw the key I realised: ‘Hey I need to take it out and show it to everyone’.”

Financial constraints are a big issue for her family. Her mother is a single parent and Palesa has a younger sister who needs to be cared for. “I’m still a student and I think that if I rent out the house for now, I will be able to pay for my fees and take some pressure off of my mother,” she says.

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