Namibian discus thrower Elizabeth van Rensburg (15) won gold at the South African Curro Podium Stellenbosch with a personal best and national record of43.79m, earning praise as a rising talent.
Van Rensburg set a new personal best in the girls’ u15 discus throw.
She also won gold at the North Curro Podium event, making her one to watch for in the sport. Pupkewitz Athletics has congratulated Van Rensburg for being named the most valuable junior field athlete of the season.
Responding to questions by The Namibian Sport, local athletic coach Henk Botha shares his thoughts on the rising star, who is coached by Henk’s daughter,Karlien Botha.
“Elizabeth has won the gold in Gauteng with the Curro north and now this weekend with Curro south. She is currently one of the best on the continent,” Botha says. Reflecting on the young Van Rensburg’s Van Rensburg throws her way to more gold achievement, he says they are focusing on improving her rotational rhythm, balance, timing and delivery position.
“At this stage, consistency and technical efficiency are more important than chasing distance. I believe the mid-40m range is a realistic development goal if we continue progressing step by step.
“We follow a structured, age-appropri- ate programme that balances throwing, general athletic development, strength conditioning and recovery.”
The coach says Van Rensburg’s physical development, school commitments and well-being always come first. “We want to build an athlete for the future, not just achieve shot-term results,” Botha says.
On whether shot put could be a future consideration following her prowess in discus, Botha says discus is an important focus, but given her versatility in shot put, he believes they should keep both opportunities open as she develops.
“There is no need to specialise too early,’’ he says.
“Competing internationally, including against older athletes in Germany, has given her valuable experience. “We focus on confidence, consistency and executing her own competition plan rather than being distracted by opponents or results,” Botha says. He says as coaches, they encourage Van Rensbug to enjoy athletics, stay focused on the process and understand that development takes time.
“She must be allowed to learn, make mistakes and grow without unnecessary pressure,” he adds.
He says education remains a priority. “We plan training around school commitments, examinations and recovery to ensure she develops as both an athlete and a young person.”
FUTURE GOALS
He says their focus is continued technical improvement, consistency and gaining international experience. Coach Karlien Botha
He says the mid-40m range is a development target, while championship opportunities will depend on qualification standards and official selections.
Botha argues that Namibia has potential to discover more talent like Van Rensburg.
“Namibia has tremendous untapped talent. We need to invest in coaching education, equipment, facilities and opportunities for young athletes.
“Identifying talent is only the beginning, providing the right support and development pathway is what makes the difference,” Botha says. “Elizabeth is an exciting example of what is possible, and our responsibility is to develop her potential patiently and responsibly.” Karlien also coaches rising javelin thrower Johan Luke (11) and discus thrower Phillip Meyer (13), who also broke the competition record.
The duo won gold in their respective disciplines. Meyer also added a silver
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