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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

Theatre, photography, literature, and lectures: TFR Studies to showcase their success

2016-11-29

The end of the year usually introduces a mood of reflection on what was and what could have been. For Trauma, Forgiveness and Reconciliation (TFR) Studies at the University of the Free State, the past year recalls a flourish of achievements worth celebrating.

Therefore, TFR Studies held an end-of-year event to showcase the successes of 2016. This comprised lectures from leading researchers in social sciences and housing rights, the release of three new books, a theatre production, and a photo exhibition.

Description: TFR Studies to showcase their success Tags: TFR Studies to showcase their success

Lectures
Prof Anthony Collins – a leading scholar in identity and culture – will speak about violence in contemporary South Africa. Prof Collins, who holds a PhD from the University of California, Santa Cruz, has extensive knowledge in the interdisciplinary area of critical social sciences and won two national awards for teaching and learning.

In addition, housing rights activist Faeza Meyer will share her experiences of forced eviction and violence in Kapteinsklip, Western Cape. She will also talk about the process of documenting these experiences and working together with feminist historian Koni Benson.

New books
Breathe in the smell of fresh ink as Dr Samantha van Schalkwyk, Dr Kim Wale, and PhD candidate Naleli Morojele introduce their books to the public. Themes of violence and gender – pertinent to South Africa – thread through each of these books in unique ways.

Theatre
The award-winning play, AVU – directed and produced by Michelle Hoffman who is a master’s student at TFR – will be performed. The story dances between the blurry lines of reality and fantasy, between Boer and Bantu.

Photo exhibition
Lerato Machetela, a PhD candidate with TFR, has featured as one of SA’s Heroes for her work among the youth of Jagersfontein. Through an innovative method, Machetela is employing an arts-based approach to research through PhotoVoice. The result: a photo exhibition by the youth of Jagersfontein – and a rare opportunity to see the world through the eyes of a child.

Photo: Jagersfontein Diamonds in the Rough gumboots group, production still of AVU, and Prof Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela with the PhotoVoice exhibit.

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