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www.thevillagenews.co.za
27 November 2019
MY SPORT
Hermanus parkrun legend gory, the third highest in the world.” A proud achievement indeed! Oom Willie says he enjoys being part of the community of Hermanus parkrunners on a Saturday morning.
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“My health is of utmost importance to me. I believe when you retire you should get good exercise and stay active. Although old age affects your muscles, hearing and memory, the parkrun is one of the events which has encouraged me to keep active. Personal times at my age are not that important, but yes, it is also good for the ego to keep track of my records,” says Oom Willie.
A tribute to Oom Willie on the Hermanus parkrun Facebook page reads: “It is also amazing to note that he has run 76 times in the VM 90–94 age cate-
He was a roadrunner since 1983, participating in all distances, from 10km to 100km, achieving SA grade records in most of them. He also participated in master athletics in the 800m, 1 500m, 2 000m steeplechase, 5 000m and 10 000m, again achieving SA age grade records. Besides many other
illie Loedolff, affectionately known as “Oom Willie”, is a legend in his age category at the Hermanus parkrun. Not only did he recently complete his 200th parkrun at the age of 91, but he also performed 102 volunteer tail walker duties.
national road running events, he also completed 13 Comrades Marathons. Oom Willie adds: “My message to parkrunners and walkers is that parkrun gives you the opportunity to exercise and to improve your health out in the fresh air. Training during the week is important as it makes the actual parkrun more enjoyable. People often think they are not able to participate, but your body and mind are much stronger than you think – don’t just give up. Keep going and eventually your fitness level will increase and the 5 km will become easy. Besides the health benefits, participating in the parkrun is a wonderful way to get away from a busy life, meet new people and enjoy nature.”
Oom Willie in his Trail Walker vest as he finishes yet another 5 km Hermanus Parkrun. PHOTOS: Alan Paulick
Congratulations, Oom Willie, you are a true inspiration! It would be interesting to know if any of the other parkruns has a legend like Oom Willie. – Sue Upton
Young equestrians strut their stuff The Overberg Equestrian Federation runs an annual league event for showing and jumping. Riders accumulate points by competing in the five shows held at intervals throughout the year.
whole family gets involved, with moms often escorting the younger riders around a course while other family members help with looking after the horse in between events.
The final show for this year took place on Sunday 24 November at the Maremmana Estate near Bot River, attracting 20 plus riders from equestrian clubs in the Overberg area.
The judges and organisers are passionate about encouraging riders to gain confidence. For example, they will encourage inexperienced horseand-rider combinations who might be experiencing difficulties to complete the course, rather than disqualifying them.
The Overberg Equestrian League was initiated to encourage local riders to compete, bring on young horses and have fun in an affordable way without having to travel over the mountain. It is also a great family outing as the
The league and the trophies are sponsored by the Overberg Equestrian Federation.
Liv Gordon, who came second in show jumping, on Esmak. PHOTOS: Tweet Gainsborough-Waring
Little Morgan du Toit (U10) on Napoleon gets a little help from mom.
Results: U10: Carli Swart (1st), Marie Fourie (2nd) U14: Carla Whiteman (1st showing and show jumping), Simone Roux (2nd showing), Liv Gordon (2nd show jumping) and Sarah Marshall (3rd, showing and show jumping) U18: Grace du Toit (1st show jumping) and Sophia Byleveldt (2nd show jumping) Adults: Alisha Fourie (1st), and Sharon Maurer (2nd)
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