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24 September 2024 | Story Aimée Barlow | Photo Supplied
Louzanne Coetzee - 2024
Louzanne Coetzee, who made history by clinching South Africa’s second medal at the Paralympics, earning a bronze in the T11 1 500 m women’s final with a personal best time, received a warm reception when she recently returned home.

The celebrated Paralympic bronze medallist Louzanne Coetzee returned home to a warm welcome at the Bram Fischer International Airport on 10 September 2024.

Family, friends, colleagues, Arista students, and media gathered to celebrate her remarkable achievement and show their support.

Coetzee – KovsieSport Coordinator of Parasport at the University of the Free State (UFS) – made history by clinching South Africa’s second medal at the Paralympics, earning a bronze in the T11 1 500 m women’s final with a personal best time. Her dedication and hard work have not only brought her personal glory but have also inspired many in her community.

Among those present to welcome her was Jerry Laka, Director of KovsieSport, who expressed his pride in Coetzee’s accomplishments.

"We as KovsieSport are so proud of our colleague Coetzee. It is amazing to see a product of KovsieSport achieving greatness on the world stage. She is truly an inspiration to us all," said Laka.

“I am so glad to be back, and to have Laka and my colleagues here. It means the world to me. Having Laka here shows his commitment to my career and ParaSport and his staff in general,” shared Coetzee, her gratitude evident.

She further expressed her appreciation for the support she received, stating, “I don’t have the words to describe how thankful I am for the support from the UFS community.”

Coetzee’s return is a proud moment for South Africa and the University of the Free State (UFS) community. Welcome home, Louzanne! Your achievements have made us all proud!

News Archive

Vietnamese delegation visits UFS
2008-12-04

 
A delegation from the Department of Science and Technology in Vietnam recently visited the Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology at the University of the Free State (UFS) to learn from South African experiences in preservation and exploitation of genetic resources and to establish contacts for collaboration. Pictured are, from the left: Dr Dang Tung, Head: Department of Science and Technology, Vietnam, Prof. Martie Smit, UFS Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology, Dr Vo Van Long, Head: Department of Scientific Planning and International Collaboration, Vietnam, Dr Vu Nguyen Thanh, Deputy Head: Department of Microbiology, Vietnam, Prof. Niel Heideman, Vice-Dean: UFS Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Mr Arthur Johnson, Co-ordinator: UFS International Research Funding, and Dr Nguyen Quang Thao, Senior Specialist: Department of Science and Technology, Vietnam. Dr Thanh was a post-doctoral fellow in the group of Prof. Smit from 1994 to 1996.

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