Louzanne Coetzee bags bronze at 2024 Paralympics

South Africa is bringing home its second Paralympic medal thanks to a superb run by a Bloemfontein middle-distance athlete.

5 hours ago
Caxton Reporter 2 minutes read
Louzanne Coetzee. Photo: Team South Africa.

Louzanne Coetzee (31) clinched a 2024 Paralympic bronze medal in this morning’s 1500m T11 final at the Stade de France, running a personal best (PB) time of 4:35.49.

Ethiopia’s Yayesh Tesfaw took gold in a world record run of 4:27.68 and China’s Shanshan He took silver (4:32.82).

Coetzee sliced five seconds off the time that she ran when she won silver in Tokyo and hit the line with her guide Estian Badenhorst in 4:35.49.

According to Team SA, she was a double medallist at Tokyo 2020, earning the silver medal in the 1500m and the bronze in the marathon, highlighting her versatility.

She will compete in the marathon on the final day of the Paralympics on Sunday.

“I’m super chuffed,” says Coetzee.

“Estian has been such a great support throughout the year and since Tokyo and there has been so much support from family and friends. I really thought that we would get close to 4:40, but now we’re closer to 4:30, so I’m not going to stop any time soon.

“The race went according to plan and we ran controlled splits. At the 250m, we started going past others but when Estian said 4:15 at 1.4km, I was like ‘what’? Then it was just the home straight.

“For me, the objective was to be in the final. Then, closer to the time, we could see that I was getting into more PB shape but I wouldn’t have guessed five seconds!”

The pace was on from the start as the Kenyan double act in the field, along with eventual winner Tesfaw and He pulled away from Coetzee, who ran most of the race in fifth position.

Coetzee and her guide pushed the accelerator with 250m to go, closing the gap on those ahead of them and getting into third position with 100m remaining.

This was the second medal for Team SA at the 2024 Paralympics, after Mpumelelo Mhlongo won gold in the men’s T44 100m last night.

According to her profile on Team South Africa’s website, Coetzee was born blind.

She attended the Pioneer School for the Visually Impaired in Worcester, away from her home town of Bloemfontein.

She was the country’s top matric achiever for people with special needs in 2012, and later studied communications at the University of the Free State.

She took up athletics in 2012 and competed in the 2013 National Championships.

Read original story on www.citizen.co.za

5 hours ago
Caxton Reporter 2 minutes read
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