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A 15-year-old sprinter from Blackheath, Taygen Koopman, is looking to take over the sprinting world when she takes part in Athletics South Africa’s national schools championships from Thursday 21 March.
A 15-year-old sprinter from Blackheath, Taygen Koopman, is looking to take over the sprinting world when she takes part in Athletics South Africa’s national schools championships from Thursday 21 March.
Taygen has exceptional potential and dedication to her athletics and has developed intellectually and become a role model to her peers in school and the neighbourhood.
A few of her most recent accolades range from being the 2023 Western Province Northern Zone High School u-15 100 m and 200 m champion, 2023 Western Province High School u-15 100 m and 200 m Champion and 2nd fastest u-15 girl over 100 m in the country after competing at the Sassa High School Athletics Championship for 2023.
Taygen has qualified for her club to compete at the SA Athletics Championships (ASA) that will be held in Pretoria from 21-24 March.
Dedicated athlete
According to Charlene Koopman, Taygen’s mother, she is a very dedicated athlete and learner. “She is a very well-rounded and respectfull child. She has been doing athletics since the age of six and she lives for it. From Monday to Friday she is on the track. She lives for her sport to a point where she recently had bronchitis. The doctor said she must stop running for at least a week and she burst out crying. Her goal is to represent her country,” says Charlene.
According to Charlene, Taygen is so committed that after the athletics season her coach gives her off for a month to recover. “After a week she calls him, because she wants to practise. It is like she doesn’t know what to do when she is not running. One thing I admire about her is that she puts God above all. If she has an injury she will pray about it and that makes me very proud. She is a normal teenager, with moods and all, but she is very respectful,” says Charlene.
Support
She says she was an athlete in her younger days, but didn’t have the support that she and her husband gives to their daughter.
“We are all in to help her achieve her dreams. We must make financial and other sacrifices, but we know that it will be worth one day,” she says.
Taygen says she will do anything to achieve her goal of going to the Olympics. “I have learned that you cannot achieve anything in life without hard work, dedication and commitment,” says Taygen.
She says since the age of six she has been on the track and it is the only thing she knows.
“My earlier childhood memory is on the track and my passion grew from there, watching the Olympics and it became a dream of mine ever since.
“When I am not on the track I enjoy family time and going out with my best friend to the movies and the ice rink,” she says.
