Bridgitte Hartley Sascoc

South Africa’s sprint paddling superstar Bridgitte Hartley is excited to give the MyLife Dusi Canoe Marathon another shot this year from 18-20 March. Photo: Anthony Grote/Gameplan Media

Sascoc elects six members of its Athletes Commission

The federation confirmed the new members of the SASCOC Athletes Commission for the next four-year cycle after a virtual election earlier this month.

Bridgitte Hartley Sascoc

South Africa’s sprint paddling superstar Bridgitte Hartley is excited to give the MyLife Dusi Canoe Marathon another shot this year from 18-20 March. Photo: Anthony Grote/Gameplan Media

The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) has named the six athletes appointed to the Athletes Commission.

Sascoc elects Athletes Commission

Bridgitte Hartley, who won Olympic bronze in the K1 500 metre sprint at the London games has been re-elected to the commission having served during the previous four year cycle. Hartley competed in the Dusi Canoe Marathon this week, coming third and still holds ambitions of another Olympic tilt.

Retired athlete Godfrey Kgotso Mokoena, who won Olympic and world long jump silver medals in 2008 and 2009, respectively, was also named in the group that includes: Ernst van Dyk, double Paralympic and world para-cycling champion, Sizwe Ndlovu, who won gold in the coxless fours rowing at the London 2012 Olympics, Jeff Coetzee, tennis doubles specialist and Davis Cup player, and Louzanne Coetzee, 2016 Paralympian and holder of the women’s 5,000m world record in the T11 visual impairment category.

According to Sascoc, Four other athletes will be co-opted to represent non-Olympic and non-Paralympic sport as well as to address any gender imbalance.

“Congratulations to the outgoing Athletes Commission on a successful election process,” said SASCOC President Barry Hendricks.

“To the newly elected members, as a Board we look forward to working with you as you empower athlete representation and promote athlete involvement in decision-making processes.

“We wish you well as you map a strategy to create an effective athlete voice that represents the needs of all South African athletes.”

The main role of the Athletes Commission is being the voice of all current, future and retired national and international athletes within the South African Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games Movement, adhering to the strategic direction of SASCOC, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), and the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and support athlete development both on and off the field of play.