Wayde van Niekerk and Lynique Beneke, who are in the South African Olympic squad, are allowed to start with more specific training on an individual basis at Pellies Park. This after government’s latest lockdown regulations under level 3 allows non-contact sports to reopen and permission from Athletics South Africa for Olympic athletes to resume training. This will obviously be done in adherence to strict health and safety protocols.

Van Niekerk (400 m) and Beneke (long jump) are professional athletes and will be in contention for the 2021 Olympics. The Tokyo Olympics was scheduled to start next month, but has been postponed due to Covid-19.

Although not much has changed for Kovsie High Performance sportsmen and women, these two have been given the green light. They will, however, need relevant permits, will be screened when entering the University of the Free State (UFS) campus and all regulations such as social distancing apply.

According to government, training for contact sports may also resume with stringent requirements in place.

DB Prinsloo, Director of KovsieSport, says KovsieSport is, however, waiting on feedback from the different sporting federations, who have submitted their plans to government on the way forward.

For now, no other sport will take place on campus. The UFS continues to support athletes by making use of technology to keep their bodies and minds fit at home. “We are going full steam ahead with progressive training programmes.”

Prinsloo says KovsieSport not only needs to adhere to regulations set out by the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, but also the Department of Higher Education and Training when considering any training on campus.

“I have a lot of understanding for people that want to start doing sport again. Sport is also my life, but we cannot do things in a hurry and act too quickly.”

UFS