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Peter Makgato - from despair to medals

22 December 2022 | Story Jóhann Thormählen | Photo Anja Aucamp

If it wasn’t for Peter Makgato’s UFS support system, he would have been lost to South African athletics. The road of recovery after a serious injury can be lonesome, but he was never alone.

The promising long jumper had to learn to walk again after the injury to his Achilles tendon and could only compete more than a year after his dreams were shattered in November 2020.

Only months after returning to jumping in 2022, he was winning medals again.

Keeping me focused

“Without KovsieSport, I believe I would have hung up my spikes after that injury,” says Makgato. “Throughout the entire journey back, I had support from my coach (Emmarie Prinsloo; Head of KovsieSport Jumping Academy) and Oom DB (Prinsloo; Head of Athletics at KovsieSport).”

He also praises “the expert medical help” from Kovsie Health and says he went through nothing alone. “My progress was monitored by a team that knew me before the injury and this meant they were able to keep me focused on the progress and not on the injury.”

Although he had injuries before, Makgato says the emotional challenges were much bigger. “What really helped me were a few words from Wayde van Niekerk days after my operation when I went back to the track on crutches. He told me not to lose my head.

“That is the best advice you can give someone in my position. Physically I was broken, I had to make sure that mentally I fought to stay above the waters.”

Bigger goals in mind

He was only able to walk again from May 2021, started rehab in August 2021, and was running properly by December 2021.

He was only able to jump competitively again in March 2022, and a month later claimed a bronze medal at the South African Championships (7,47 m). This was followed by a USSA bronze in May 2022 (7,46 m).

“I had bigger goals in mind. Now that I look back, I realise that for a person who could not even run properly five months before and who had little preparation time, I was doing pretty good.”

And now the Master of Laws student has his sights on bigger things again: The World Athletics Championships next year and the Olympic Games in 2024.

News Archive

Ms Beatrice Marshoff praise documentary on the life and legacy of King Moshoeshoe

2004-10-14

The Premier of the Free State , Ms Beatrice Marshoff, has praised the University of the Free State for the initiative to produce a documentary on the life and legacy of King Moshoeshoe, the founder of the Basotho nation.

“The University of the Free State could not have chosen a better subject to celebrate its centenary. The life and legacy of King Moshoeshoe is indeed a befitting demonstration that this is Africa ’s century,” Ms Marshoff said in a statement.

The documentary called “The Renaissance King” was shown last night ( Wednesday 13 October 2004 ) for the first time at the UFS. It was commissioned by the UFS as part if its Centenary year and was produced by journalist Max du Preez.

“We wish to congratulate the producers and the university, for such a brilliant idea,” the premier said.

She called on other institutions to also get involved in nation-building projects such as this one.

“Your desire and intention as an institution to take up a new but deserved role in our social transformation agenda, is highly commendable,” Ms Marshoff said in her statement.

Because the premier had to attend to urgent government business she could not attend the function,but her statement was read on her behalf by the MEC for Arts, Sport and Culture, Mr Joe Mafereka.

Dignitaries in the appreciative audience included the Lesotho Minister for Communications, Science and Technology, Dr Mamphono Khaketla, Queen Mopeli, the MEC for Education, Ouma Tsopo, the MEC for Safety and Liaison, Tate Makgoe, the Director General of the Free State, Dr Khotso de Wee, the Senior Private Secretary to King Letsie III, Mr Mabotse Lerotholi, the Vice-chancellor of the National University of Lesotho, Dr Mothibe, Acting Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Culture, Mr Jobo Molapo, Chairman of the Council of the University of the Free State, Judge Faan Hancke, Rector and Vice-chancellor of the University of the Free State, prof. Frederick Fourie.

The documentary on the life and legacy of King Moshoeshoe will be screened on SABC 2 on Thursday 4 November 2004 .

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