he much celebrated Paralympian, Louzanne Coetzee from Bloemfontein, has buried the ghost of the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, by her first-ever medal at a major sporting event.
The blind middle-distance star, along with her guide, Estean Badenhorst, set a new personal best and broke the African record as she won the silver medal in the T11 1500m for women at the Paralympics in Tokyo on Monday. Coetzee took the silver in 4:40.96 in a well-planned and well-executed race. She was only bettered by the reigning world champion, Monica Olivia Rodriguez Saavedra of Mexico, who won the gold in a world record time of 4:35.40.
In 2016, Coetzee was disqualified in Rio after her then guide assisted her with a tug.
Speaking to Bloemfontein Courant from Tokyo, Coetzee admitted that she was overwhelmed by her achievement and would settle for a silver behind a world record any day.
“It was really a privilege coming second to the new world record holder. I don’t think I could ask for a better or a more honest race. I’m very happy and very thankful for the privilege to be here. Adding the medal to that is just a bonus. Especially after the pandemic, I am just very thankful for good health, being able to train and having access to training. I’m really overwhelmed with joy and the support from home. I couldn’t have asked for a better support system. I also could not have asked for a better guide, better training partner or a better family.
“I’m really overwhelmed by all the support, especially also from the media. Everyone has been super supportive and I feel so fortunate for that.”
These days, Coetzee is coached by Girda Siebert. For a big part of her career, she was coached by the late Rufus Botha, who was also a sport journalist at Bloemfontein Courant. Shortly before his timely death in January 2020, their paths split. Coetzee added the dream was started by the passionate Botha, and winning the medal has put her heart at ease, as she knows he would have been immensely proud of her achievement.
“It really also gives me peace in my heart knowing that he would have also been happy and would have felt that we achieved our objective. Through that his legacy lives on and that is great!”
Coetzee will receive a cash bonus of R220 000 from the Ministry of Sport for her efforts.
She will be in action again on Sunday when she competes in the 42.2km marathon. This time, the multiple Comrades Marathon finisher, Claus Kempen, will assist as her guide. Together the duo has completed the Soweto, Berlin and London Marathons. – MORGAN PIEK
