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“Great to come back home to my UFS family”

15 September 2021 | Story Jóhann Thormählen | Photo Charl Devenish

Louzanne read more — The University of the Free State celebrated the achievements of the Paralympic athlete, Louzanne Coetzee. She won silver and bronze medals at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

It is great to be back with her University of the Free State (UFS) family, and Louzanne Coetzee would not have been able to reach her dreams without her Kovsie support.

The Paralympic star thanked the UFS for the role it played in her career and said it was a privilege to represent the UFS and South Africa.

She returned from the Paralympic Games in Tokyo with silver (1 500 m; T11) and bronze (marathon; T12) medals and was welcomed back at a special UFS celebration on 13 September 2021.

The 28-year-old, her guides – Estean Badenhorst and Claus Kempen – and a small group of UFS dignitaries celebrated her achievements.

The Residence Head of Akasia Residence at the UFS not only brought home two medals, but also set a new 1 500 m African record (T11; 4:40.96) and a new world marathon record (T11; 3:11:13) in her class.

Support from home

Coetzee is a UFS alumna who started running while being a Kovsie student.

“Thank you so much for the welcome back,” she said.

“It is great to come back home to my UFS family. Especially after three weeks in another country.”

She said the support messages from the likes of Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, meant a lot while she was in Tokyo.

“I, Claus, and Estean would not have been able to do this without the support of the UFS and Oom DB (Prinsloo; Director of KovsieSport).”

Representing the UFS and the continent

She made special mention of Badenhorst and Kempen, who also run for the Kovsie Athletics Club. “I really feel we function well as a team, and I think the results have been fruitful.”

Prof Petersen praised and thanked them, also for representing the UFS, South Africa, and the continent in such a superb manner.

It is great to come back home to my UFS family. Especially after three weeks in another country. – Louzanne Coetzee

“You really made us proud as the University of the Free State family, and I know that you will continue with great performances in the future,” he said.

Prinsloo said KovsieSport is immensely proud of the trio and for being UFS ambassadors.

“Thank you very much. We are looking forward to the next couple of years.”

News Archive

Kovsies bring home gold, silver and bronze

2011-09-02

PC Beneke

Once again, Thuso Mpuang, student at our university was a star at a student athletics meeting. He repeated his good performance of the South African Student Championships in April by winning the silver medal at the 200 m for men at the World Student Games in Shenzhen, China, in the good time of 20.59 seconds. He was also a member of the SA 4 x 100 m relay team, which won the gold medal at the meeting.

Another Kovsie athlete, PC Beneke, was a member of the SA Student team’s 4 x 400 m relay team, which won a bronze medal at the Student Games.

According to Sarina Cronjé from KovsieSport at the UFS, Kovsies can really be proud of these two athletes with their total of three medals at the World Student Championships.

Thuso is again on his way, this time to the World Senior Athletics Championships, where he is going to represent South Africa in the 200 m men’s, as well as the 4 x 100 m relay. The meeting is taking place in Daego, Korea, from 27 August to 4 September 2011.

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