GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - Graaff-Reinet sport sensation Rentia Oosthuizen (27) dreams of running like Wayde van Niekerk and swimming like Chad le Clos, and she won't let Down syndrome stand in her way.
The talented and devoted athlete was recently crowned Sportswoman of the Year for Persons with Disability at the Eastern Cape Sport and Recreation Achiever Awards in East London. She was also awarded this coveted prize in 2017. Oosthuizen was also named runner up in the Sport Star of the Year category.
"[Athletes] must dream and work hard," Oosthuizen told the Advertiser. "It doesn't matter what difficulties in life you have to overcome, inside you are a winner."
Oosthuizen certainly is a winner, as she proved when she won gold in shot-put at the World Athletics Championships for Persons with Disability, hosted in Portugal, last year. She also won silver in the triathlon event for athletes with Down syndrome, as well as in the breaststroke event at the World Swimming Championships in Canada. She set new African records for these latter events.
"My dream is to break the world record in long jump and shot-put," she explained. An opportunity for her to do so is already lined up, as she will participate in the Trisome Games in Turkey next year.
According to Oosthuizen, her mother René, father Oosie, and sisters Carlien and Elsje inspire her to achieve. "They train with me and encourage me."
Carlien, Rentia and mother René Oosthuizen. Photo: Christo Vermaak
Oosthuizen started swimming at the age of four when her family lived in Middelburg. They moved to Graaff-Reinet in 2017, where Theo Dörfling is her trainer, and she is a member of the Graaff-Reinet Swimming Club. She is also a member of the Port Elizabeth Infinity Swimming Club.
Her fitness will be put the test at the SA Athletic Open Games in Bloemfontein from 22 to 24 September, where she will have the opportunity to showcase her skills as a world record holder.
Watch out world: this sports star is on a roll, and there's no stopping her now.
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