A Stellenbosch University (SU) Paralympic athlete recently received two awards for shot put at the 2025 South African (SA) Sports Awards.
This is according to Simoné Kruger, a first-year BSc (Sports Science) student at SU, who was awarded the Sportswoman with a Disability award and the Junior Sports Star of the Year award at the SA Sports Awards ceremony, which was held at Sun City Resort in North West on 24 August.
“It feels really amazing to receive those awards,” said Simoné. “I’m really honoured to actually have received them because a lot of people work for these types of things and they don’t normally achieve it. So I’m really, really grateful for it.”
The shot put ring at Coetzenburg athletic track, where Simoné Kruger, a Paralympic athlete and Stellenbosch University student, trains, according to Andries Kruger, her coach and father, who describes her as “God-fearing [and] people-loving”.“She is very hard on herself during a difficult day because she really wants to give her coach the best,” said Andries.“It is so amazing to, every day, get to see her wonderful smile when we get to training. This is just a coach’s dream.” PHOTO: Daniela Botha
Simoné, who has attended the SA Sports Awards once before, said that this year’s awards were special.
“[The awards evening] was just amazing,” she said. “My dad was nominated for Coach of the Year, so my whole family could go, [which meant] my mom and my sister went with.”
A sporting family
According to Simoné, she comes from a family of sportspeople.
Her father did shot put and discus when he was younger, but never competed provincially or nationally, she said.
When her older sister began playing sports, Simoné also wanted in, she said.
“My grandfather wanted to take my sister out just to practice and see how she does,” she said. “I felt left out, so I started [training] with her.”
“I started coaching Simoné in 2013 as an eight-year-old child,” said Andries Kruger, Simoné’s father and coach.
Simoné Kruger, a Paralympic athlete and Stellenbosch University student, participates in shot put at the Olomouc World Para Athletics Grand Prix competition in July this year, according to an Instagram post by Andries Kruger, her father and coach. PHOTO: Jiří Kottas 2025
Simoné is appreciative of all the support she receives from her SU residence, Huis Neethling.
“We are deeply proud of Simoné’s achievements,” said Juante Valentyn, the outgoing primaria of Huis Neethling. “Her journey in sport has been, and continues to be, a true source of inspiration for our entire community.”
‘A new journey’
“The next big competition coming up is World Champs in New Delhi, India,” said Simoné.
According to Simoné, her classification recently changed.
“So now I have two events, shotput and discus, which is a new journey for us,” she said. “I’m really excited for it, as now I can go for two medals instead of one.”
Simoné Kruger, a Paralympic athlete and Stellenbosch University student, is part of the Maties Athletics sports division, according to Simoné. “My disability is hemiplegia, which falls under cerebral palsy,” she said. “I was born with a stroke.” “The biggest challenge in her training is the fact that she does not have the same amount of energy as an able-bodied athlete,” said Andries Kruger, her coach and father. “The body [obviously] has various challenges due to the stroke she had, but she overcomes that by trying to achieve the best technique on any given day.” PHOTO: Daniela Botha
Before, Simoné was an F38 classification, which was the highest classification in the cerebral palsy group, said Andries.
In June, her classification was relooked at and it was decided that Simoné adheres to all the prescripts of a F37, according to Andries.
“The two classifications, F37 and F38, can compete together if the event is an F38 event. Thus you can compete up from 37 to a 38 event,” said Andries. “But [you] cannot compete down from a 38 to a 37 event, because you are actually less impacted as an F38, which will negatively affect the chances of an F37 to win their own event.”
The shot put circle at Coetzenburg athletic track, where Simoné Kruger, a Paralympic athlete and Stellenbosch University student, practices her shot put throws, according to Andries Kruger, her coach and father. She will now also begin competing in discus, said Simoné. “The support from my residence, Huis Neethling, is amazing because all these athletes know how it feels to be a student and an athlete,” she said. “Simoné is more than just an athlete in our community; she is a source of hope, joy, and determination,” said Juante Valentyn, the outgoing primaria of Huis Neethling. “Her unwavering positivity and resilience remind us all of the strength that lies in perseverance.” PHOTO: Daniela Botha