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12 April 2022 | Story Jóhann Thormählen | Photo Jeandré Badenhorst
Louzanne Coetzee and Claus Kempen
Louzanne Coetzee and her guide Claus Kempen often train on the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS). Coetzee is the residence head of Akasia at the UFS.
Giving back to the running community and helping others achieve their goals.

These are some of the joys for Louzanne Coetzee that comes with being the first blind athlete to be a pacemaker in the Two Oceans Marathon.

The Paralympic star says she is excited about the new experience that awaits in Cape Town on 16 April 2022.

She has only competed in the Two Oceans once before – in the half marathon in 2017 – and will make history the second time round by setting the pace in the half marathon with her guide Claus Kempen.

Coetzee and Kempen, both Kovsie Athletics club members, will pace runners wanting to finish the 21,1 km within two hours.

The duo won a Paralympic bronze medal in the marathon (T12) in 2021.

The Akasia residence head at the University of the Free State also won a silver (1 500 m, T11) medal at the Paralympics with Estean Badenhorst as her guide.

New experience

“It is a big privilege to set the pace,” says a humble Coetzee.

“You also help other people achieve their specific goals for the day.”

Although pace-making will be something new for her, Kempen is a seasoned pacemaker.

He has completed the Two Oceans ultramarathon 11 times and has previously been a pacemaker in races such as the Two Oceans, Comrades, and others.

It was Paul Murphy, Head of the Western Province Pacesetters, who asked Kempen if they will be pacemakers at the Two Oceans.

Less pressure

Coetzee says there is a big difference between competing and setting the pace.

“You can’t be a pacemaker for a time that you feel uncomfortable with.”

According to her, there is less pressure, but you still have an important responsibility.

There is pressure, but it is nice pressure. You need to explore how you can best assist your group to achieve their goal. – Louzanne Coetzee
“You have to get the group you are pacing across the finish line in the right time, get structured walking in, etc.”

“There is pressure, but it is nice pressure. You need to explore how you can best assist your group to achieve their goal.”

Coetzee is working towards the Athletics South Africa Senior National Championships in Cape Town on 21 April 2022, where she will run the 5 000 m with Badenhorst. 

She will then take part in the half marathon with Kempen at the University Sports South Africa Championships in Cape Town on 7 May 2022.

 


News Archive

Anchen Froneman selected for NY post-grad programme
2015-04-29

Anchen Froneman

Anchen Froneman, PhD-student at the UFS Odeion School of Music (OSM), has been accepted into the Modular Certification Programme in Laban Movement Studies at the Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies (LIMS), in New York (USA). 

This programme is a postgraduate certificate that is considered the equivalent of a master’s degree programme. Successful completion earns the title of Certified Movement Analyst (CMA).  Anchen’s attendance at the first module of the programme from 1 to 17 June 2015 has been made possible by a Postgraduate Scholarship granted by the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust.

Participation in the CMA Programme stems from her multidisciplinary doctoral research project as well as a personal interest in the ways that body movement contributes to a holistic musical performance.  In her research project, she investigates the application of Laban Movement Studies to obtaining embodied, integrative piano performances.  Laban Movement Studies is an approach whereby both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of body movement is analysed, codified, and developed, using specific considerations. This somatic approach uses a framework based on the personal uniqueness and complexity embedded in human movement, explaining and developing the organisation of the body, the position and relation of the body to itself, space, and other objects as well as the dynamic range of body movement. 

CMAs contribute to various areas of human development, including leadership development, cross-cultural communications and management, interpersonal skills and conflict management, team development, self-awareness and performance improvement, performing arts as well  as movement therapies.

Anchen uses the foundation of the Laban approach in her hypothesis that the development of both functional and expressive movement will enhance musical performance.  She also centres this on the literature findings on body movement in the disciplines of music performance, neuroscience, psychology, and physiology. With this project, she aims to make a scholarly contribution towards raising awareness of the importance of integrating functional and expressive movements in performance.

Anchen completed her previous music qualifications at the OSM.

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