Paralympics No 3 and counting for versatile Gouws

Liezel Gouws is still only 25 but she’s already representing South Africa at her third Paralympics. She’s not about to hang up her spikes any time soon either and is committed to the next cycle which will take her to the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

The energetic T37 athlete, who is competing in both the 400m and the long jump in Paris, has gone from an understandably awe-struck teenager at the Rio 2016 Paralympics to the confident young woman that she now is. “I was at school in 2016 and a student in 2021. Now I’m into another phase and in 2028 it will be another one again,” she says.

Perhaps the toughest part of her immediate future is perfecting the balancing act between a para-athlete and a career. She finished her studies at North-West University last year where she completed her Masters degree in pharmaceutical studies. This year she has been working as a pharmacist in the community, which is a compulsory year in her course.

“It’s been quite difficult working and preparing for the Paralympics, because work meant I could only train early in the morning, around 5am, or in the early evening. That’s not ideal for someone going through a Potchefstroom winter!”

However, Gouws continues to take on work and grow as an individual and an athlete. This year for instance she has added the long jump to her programme and while it’s the 400m in which she is more familiar and dare one say have a slight preference for, ironically it’s the long jump where she might have her best chance of a medal at these Games.

In 2016 she finished seventh in the 400m and at Tokyo 2020 (held in 2021) it was fifth. And realistic expectations for Paris? “I’m fortunate enough to have straight finals. It definitely helps because I’ll now have a day of recovery between events. My goal is to chase my personal bests. And I really hope that will be enough for a medal. If it’s not, then the goal is achieved. But I’m in a good space. I’m really fit and healthy. I was battling injury about two months ago, so I’m really just grateful to be here and to be strong. Anything can happen on the day.”

She was still only 17 when attending her first Paralympics in Rio and then in Tokyo it was a case of empty stadiums due to Covid-19 restrictions. However, she will now step out the tunnel at the Stade de France and be faced with a full house of 80 000 people.

“I’m just as excited as the first Paralympics I attended! In terms of the crowd, at the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in London we had a massive audience. As a 19-year-old that was quite overwhelming. But I think you have two choices: you can use the crowd for your advantage to motivate and give you energy, or it can completely throw you off and overwhelm you.

“I’m just hoping to take it all in to embrace the moment and let the crowd energise me. I have two Frenchwomen jumping against me in the long jump and I know how much they are supported in France. I know that the long jump is going to be an amazing experience.”

Gouws will find herself in the Paralympic final of the T37 long jump having only started the discipline this year. “I’ve never done it before, not at school level, nowhere. So it’s still something my body must still get more used to, especially in handing the impact. Initially there were a lot of injuries but I’m really enjoying the challenge of it. But my big love will always be the running.”

Also highlighting her continuous growth, not only as a para-athlete and her studying that will see her qualify as a pharmacist at the end of this year, is her willingness to embrace the culture of the places she travels to.

“This is my fifth visit to Paris,” she says, and there’s a detectable excitement in her voice. “I never stop learning about this city. Each one is as enchanting as the first. I always discover new parts to the city but I always go bak to the Eiffel Tower and take a selfie! It’s a landmark that always amazes me.”

Gouws has also been improving her French. “In the year I’ve been using Duolingo to help me and while I’m far from fluent, I can speak a little bit.”

Most of the time though Gouws is allowing her talent and dedication to speak for itself.

She’s a proud ambassador for what the para-athlete movement means. “I always refer to the ajitos symbol whenever I’m doing a motivational speech. I love to bring it up, because I think that is the most important difference between the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games. The ajitos resembles movement. As para athletes we have different struggles and to overcome that struggle, to be able to move, we can really conquer anything.”

That commitment to the para-athletic movement is becoming an increasing passion. “I’ll still be young enough in 2028 to be at the Los Angeles Games. So I need to keep that in mind with my career. I’m not planning to be a full-time pharmacist until after LA, so I might do some locum work, or part-time in a pharmacy.

“I’m really into para sport and para athletic development. Obviously I’m passionate about South Africa but also my community and the province, I’m getting more and more involved in para-sport, para-athletic, disability sport, to create awareness and to develop it more."

Right now though are a couple of wild nights at the Stade de France in front of crowds that she hasn’t encountered before. Her events are scheduled for the end of the evening, with the long jump at 8.40pm on 1 September and the 400m at 9.35pm on 3 September. “Bring it on,” she laughs. “We also had night finals in Tokyo but this will be different with the full stadium. Fortunately. I’m a big night owl and I’m going to embrace the energy of the crowd.”

Her third Paralympics, another chance to represent her country and in one of her favourite global cities. The stage is set for Liezel Gouws to dazzle.