POLOKWANE – Koos Matsaung (27) has competed at international level since discovering his talent for athletics at the age of nine, most recently representing South Africa at the Bauhaus Down Syndrome World Athletics Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria.

“I realised I had talent in sport while I was attending New Horizon Special School. Before the provincial championships, the school held its own athletics and sporting competitions to select athletes for the school team. It was during one of those events that I discovered I was good at athletics,” he said.

Koos competes in the 100m, 200m, long jump, shot put and triathlon, which consists of the 100m, long jump and shot put.

A moment to be proud of

He said he was excited when he learned he had been selected to compete in Bulgaria, especially since he would have the opportunity to meet fellow athletes from around the world.

“My proudest moment at the championships was qualifying for the long jump final.”

Months of dedication

To prepare for the championships, Koos started training in late March, focusing first on strength and conditioning before progressing to event-specific techniques and tactics.

He trained four days a week, resting on Wednesdays and weekends. Apart from training with his coach, Freddy Phihlela, he also exercises at the Polokwane Centre for Intellectually Impaired Adults, where he lives.

Eyes on home soil

Koos is looking forward to returning to training in August when the athletics season begins.

He will also prepare for the 2026 National Games, which will be held in the city in September.

A record-holder with big dreams

He is the current African record holder in both the shot put and long jump, titles he earned in Turkey in 2024.

“I hope to defend and improve those records if I get the opportunity. My biggest dream is to win medals in all my events at the Trisome Games, the Olympic Games for athletes with Down Syndrome, which will be held in Mexico in 2028,” he said.

The hard road behind the success

Despite his achievements, Koos’s journey has not been without challenges.

“We did not have a proper training venue, equipment or support from individuals, institutions or government.

“My manager, Lizzy Vogel, and coach Freddy arranged for me to train at Laerskool Pietersburg-Noord, and only one week before the championships was I able to train at the Peter Mokaba Stadium,” he said.

A team effort, against the odds

Funding was another major obstacle after the Department of Education stopped funding athletes who are no longer in school.

Vogel said that in 2024, the Limpopo Academy of Sport and Confederation, and the Department of Sport, assisted Koos and his coach with training, preparations, flights and accommodation for the World Championships.

“The departments of Sport and Education usually fund provincial teams attending national events. Since 2025 however, athletes who are no longer in school were removed from the provincial team just two weeks before the event. This also affected Koos’ preparations for the world championships.

“No funding was available from the Department of Sport for Koos or Freddy this year.

“In the end, I paid for my own airline ticket to accompany Koos, while his family had to dig deep into their own pockets to make this trip possible,” said Vogel.