Liezel Gouws’s introduction to the Stade de France involved hearing the South African national anthem just before she walked out for her T37 long jump final at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in France on Sunday, 1 September, 2024
As teammate Mpumi Mhlongo celebrated Team SA’s first gold medal of the Games, Gouws entered the stadium, unsure how her calf would hold up after an injury earlier in the week, but hearing the anthem made her night all the more memorable.
“I heard the national anthem just before they announced us to start with the long jump, so that was really a special moment. I’m so proud of him, he’s an incredible teammate so I was so fortunate to be able to join the session with him and celebrate that with him.”
T37 Long Jump Paralympian, Liezel Gouws
That’s where the celebrations ended for Gouws though, as she fell well short of her personal best in the long jump, her best effort of 3.62m seeing her finishing in eighth place.
“It was tough out there so I just tried to embrace the moment… I’ve never jumped that bad in my life before, but it’s OK, I don’t want to make excuses for the day,” Gouws said afterwards. “I enjoyed every second, and that was the most important for me.”
Gouws explained that she picked up the calf injury in training on Thursday.
“I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to compete, so just for me being out there in the arena and soaking it all in was a massive blessing,” she said. “We were busy training long jump and we did a few jumps and then I felt something in my calf.”
Gouws said a scan revealed a grade 2 tear but that she decided to go ahead with the long jump anyway.
“I’m definitely not as healthy or fit as I want to be, but we took a risk to go out there and jump, and it was worth it [even though] the jumps, the distance didn’t come at all.
“I jumped like a meter off my PB, I don’t know what happened, but it’s OK,” added the Potchefstroom-based pharmacist who will now switch focus to her main event, the T37 400m.
“Luckily I still have the 400 and that’s actually my main event. The most important part for me is that I have no pain at the moment, so I’m definitely fine for the 400 and that’s not as high impact as the long jump, so I will definitely be geared up and ready for that.”
“It has been quite a year struggling with injuries, but I’m just chasing my personal best time and if that’s good enough again for a medal then it would be just the cherry on top and I would be grateful for that,” added Gouws, whose family have flown overseas to support her for the first time.
The 25-year-old is competing at her third Paralympics. Her best result to date was a fifth-place finish in the T37 400m in Tokyo three years ago while she claimed a bronze medal in the same event at the World Championships in Japan earlier this year.
“I think a lot of people don’t know a lot about disability sport and that’s why I love the Paralympics because it really gets people involved and curious about how the classifications and everything work.
“I had a stroke when I was five years old so from a young age I’ve been battling, overcoming my physical obstacles and the Paralympics for athletics in that sense is just another tool that I can use to show that nothing physically can stop me,” she explained.
“The long jump I’ve just started this year, it’s brand new for me, and it’s also something that I didn’t think I was capable of doing because of my disability but I just went for it and enjoyed every second.”
Earlier on Sunday, Louzanne Coetzee safely negotiated her way through the heats of the T11 1500m. The double Tokyo Paralympic medallist was in the fastest of three heats and while she didn’t win the race to secure automatic qualification, her time of 4:45.25 was the second fastest of the day to see her through to Monday morning’s final.
Meanwhile, It was a disappointing Paralympic debut for F44 discus thrower Yané van der Merwe who couldn’t manage to record a legal throw in her three attempts.
There was further frustration for Kirsty Weir after the Para triathlon was postponed because of the notoriously bad water quality of the Seine River. Bacteria levels after heavy rainfall also affected the Olympic triathlon. Organisers have announced the race has been rescheduled for 2 September, but a final decision will only be made in the early hours of Monday morning after more testing.
Paris 2024 Paralympic Games Calendar Highlights for Monday, 2 September 2024
Athletics
Women’s 1500m, T11 Final (10.11am): Louzanne Coetzee
Triathlon
Women’s Para Triathlon S4: Kirsty Weir
Original Copy: Karien Jonckheere, with editing by gsport
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