WATCH: Athletics for JG Oosthuizen
AUCKLAND PARK – Pupils participate in an athletics event not only to win, but to support a now disabled Hoërskool Linden pupil.
The annual Prestige Athletics Meeting hosted by Hoërskool Linden was held at the University of Johannesburg athletics stadium on 29 January. Hoërskool Linden invited seven schools to participate alongside them in track and field events.
The schools included Bergsig Academy in Rustenburg, Hoërskool Florida, Hoërskool Marais Viljoen in Alberton, Midstream College in Alberton, Hoërskool Overvaal in Vereeniging, Vereeniging Gimnasium and Hoërskool Volkskool Potchefstroom. The organiser of the meeting, Franciska Lintvelt from Hoërskool Linden, explained that the winning school in each event would gather points for their school and that medals are awarded to each winner. She further said that each school entered about 200 athletes to compete in the meeting. “We expect around 1 500 to 2 000 supporters to be here today,” said Lintvelt.
Apart from the athletics, the schools came together for a worthy cause. Amanda Potgieter, the head girl of Bergsig Akademie/Academy Academy in Rustenburg, had seen the story of JG Oosthuizen, a Hoërskool Linden Matric pupil who had a freak accident while on holiday at Diaz beach in Mosselbay. Oosthuizen’s C5 vertebrea along with his spinal cord were badly injured, and he is now a C5 quadriplegic.
“We as schools have to support each other and not only see each other as [athletics meeting] rivals,” said Potgieter. She decided to collect coins from her fellow pupils and managed to raise R7 000 worth of coins to donate to the JG Oosthuizen Fund.
Lintvelt said that the athletes of Hoërskool Linden want to win, but they are competing for Oosthuizen.
Principal Dr Jorrie Jordaan added that it is breathtaking to see the overwhelming support for Oosthuizen. “The community reached out to JG and we want to wish him a speedy recovery,” said Dr Jordaan.
The athletics meeting saw many awards at the end of the day. The junior victrix ludorum was Tyla Berning from Hoërskool Marais Viljoen. The junior victor ludorum was Duncan Erasmus from Midstream College. The senior victrix ludorum was Shanley Koekemoer from Midstream College, and Ronen Oosthuizen from Bergsig Academy was the senior victor ludorum. A total of 15 Prestige Athletics Meeting records were broken.
Details: Hoërskool Linden, 011 888 1433.
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