Louzanne Coetzee secures bronze in women’s T11 1500m at Paris paralympics

Bloemfontein’s Paralympian Louzanne Coetzee clinched a bronze medal this morning during the women’s T11 1500m final at the Paralympic Games held in Paris. This victory marks South Africa's second medal of the Games.

2 hours ago

Nelson Kgarose 2 minutes read

Louzanne Coetzee aims for podium at Paralympic Games

In an electrifying T11 1 500m final, where the three medalists all finished below the previous Paralympic record, Louzanne Coetzee showcased her resilience and skill. Ethiopia’s Yayesh Gate Tesfaw not only secured the gold medal but also shattered her own world record, finishing with an impressive time of 04:27:68 – over four and a half seconds quicker than her previous mark.

Coetzee, accompanied by her guide Estean Badenhorst, produced a personal best performance of 04:35:49, thereby adding a bronze to her illustrious medal collection, which includes a silver in the 1 500m and a bronze in the marathon from the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. China’s Shanshan He, who had the fastest time in the heats, claimed the silver medal with a time of 04:32:82.

The T11 classification caters to athletes with near-total visual impairment. Coetzee, who was born with Leber congenital amaurosis – a condition characterised by underdeveloped retinas – began her journey as a para-athlete at the age of 19 while at the University of the Free State.

In previous competitions, Coetzee exhibited her prowess by winning gold at the 2018 World Championships in the T11 women’s 5 000m and achieving a bronze in the marathon at the same event in 2024, alongside her guide Badenhorst.

Also read: Runners dash to the Jozi SPAR Womens Challenge

Despite her challenges, including a disqualification in Rio for an infraction involving her guide, Coetzee has continued to rise in the ranks of para-athletics. She is set to shift her focus to the upcoming T12 marathon, aiming for another podium finish.

On the previous night, Team South Africa celebrated its first medal of the Paris Games when Mpumelelo Mhlongo secured gold in the men’s T77 100m final.

As the Games progress, further events feature athletes such as Puseletso Mabote in the men’s T63 100m final and triathlete Kirsty Weir lining up in the women’s PTS4 race later today.

Watch the video below to view the celebrations which took place:

🥉 BRONZE MEDAL ALERT! 🥉

🏃‍♀️ Louzanne Coetzee just won bronze in the T11 1500m final with a Personal Best! 🇿🇦 What a race! 💚💛 #TeamSA #ForMyCountry #Paralympics pic.twitter.com/Tae8gBxb88

— Team South Africa (@OfficialTeamRSA) September 2, 2024