Louzanne Coetzee to carry Team SA flag at Tokyo Paralympics closing ceremony

Louzanne Coetzee will help draw the curtain on Team SA’s participation at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics when she carries the flag for the squad at the closing ceremony in the Olympic Stadium on Sunday night.

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It was a memorable Tokyo Paralympics for Coetzee who raced to a silver medal in the women’s 1500m (T11) and then finished off her campaign by competing in the Women’s Marathon (T12) on Sunday’s final day of competition.

There she picked up a bronze medal and a world record in her class (T11), which was Team SA’s seventh and final medal of the Games.

Team SA leave Japan with four gold, one silver and two bronze medals with equals their worst ever return from Barcelona in 1992.

At the previous Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, Team SA won 17 medals.

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The 28-year-old pocket rocket from Bloemfontein – she stands at 1.54m – was born blind but has shown incredible spirit and tenacity to rise to become one of the best athletes in her class in the Paralympics.

The president of SASCOC, Barry Hendricks, said he was delighted that Coetzee had been selected to carry the country’s flag at the closing ceremony.

“Louzanne is an inspiration, not only on the track and road, but off it as well. She has an infectious energy and positivity that has spread through the squad in Tokyo. Her silver medal in the 1 500m was followed by a phone call from the President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, who congratulated her and other Team SA medallists on their achievement.

“Winning two medals at these Paralympic Games is a testimony to her hard work and talent and she has been a stand-out performer and squad member for Team SA in Tokyo. It is with great pride that we, as SASCOC, are able to announce her as the flag bearer for the closing ceremony,” Hendricks added.