Louzanne Coetzee

Biography

Louzanne Coetzee won bronze in the T11 1500m at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, achieving a personal best at Stade de France, where all medallists broke the previous Paralympic record. This triumph is remarkable considering her injury and illness struggles the prior year. Born with Leber congenital amaurosis, causing vision loss, Louzanne’s journey exemplifies dedication, teamwork, and resilience. She credits her success to guide runners, family, and community, highlighting that running is a collaborative effort.  Supported by a Canon Collins scholarship in 2016-2017, Louzanne completed a Master’s in Disability Studies and received an impact award for her work empowering disabled learners through workshops and university application assistance. “People view disabled people as ‘the lame and the sick and the weak’. And that’s not how it’s supposed to be.” Believes Louzanne.

Now a coordinator for Para-Sports and eSports at the University of the Free State, Louzanne actively promotes disability inclusion in sports and education. A double Tokyo Paralympic medallist and 2023 World Para Athletics silver medallist, she also leads initiatives preparing sports students for career transitions.