Klerksdorp Record, Potchefstroom - Klerksdorp athlete Liezel Gouws is no stranger to podiums, and on Friday May 17, her affinity for finishing races with a medal around her neck was on full display when she won bronze at the 2024 Para Athletics World Championships in Kobe, Japan.
Liezel finished third in the women’s 400m T37 race, and in doing so she also claimed South Africa’s first medal at the championships. In addition, she finished fifth in her long jump event.
This master’s degree student from the North-West University (NWU) is no stranger to the Land of the Rising Sun, as she also competed in Japan during the 2021 Paralympic Games.
Liezel has cerebral palsy after suffering a stroke as a five-year-old, but has proven time and again that there is no obstacle her determination and resolve can’t scale. She matriculated at Hoërskool Wesvalia.
This 11th edition of the Para Athletics World Championships - the first to be held in East Asia and only the third in Asia - will conclude on May 25. All events are held at the multi-purpose Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium.
