Colette Uys won a bronze medal in the shot put at the World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr yesterday.

There was no time for the Tuks medical student to celebrate her second medal in international athletics. This morning, she was back in the circle. This time, armed with a discus in hand. She qualified for tomorrow's finals with a throw of 56.60 metres. This was the fourth-best distance in the heats. Yesterday, in the shot put final, she threw 17.34 metres to take the bronze medal.

Uys is one of the few female field athletes who competes in three of the four athletic throwing events. Earlier this season, during the South African Championships in Potchefstroom, she achieved what few athletes have ever done. Her performance might even be a first in South African athletics. Uys medalled in three events. She won gold in the shot put and discus events and silver in the hammer throw. At the USSA Championships, she won all three events.

Uys fully realises that in the long run she can continue to participate in three throws.

"I know I'm going to have to make a decision. At most, I can compete in two of the three events. I will obviously compete in the hammer throw. Choosing between the other two events is difficult. The distances I throw during training suggest that I could be one of the top three in South Africa, but I prefer the shot put more."

It is impressive to note the improvement Uys has made from last year to now. Last year, her best performance in the shot put was 16.58 metres; it is now 18.14 metres. In the discus, it was 55.55 metres and now it's 57.94. Last year her best distance in the hammer throw was 64.31 metres. This year she threw 65.84 metres. 

Uys will be competing in the hammer throw on Saturday. 

Hannah van Niekerk won her 400 m hurdles semifinal this afternoon in a personal best time of 56.16 seconds. It means she will line up tomorrow evening in the final.

Charne du Plessis (Tuks) qualified last night for the 800 metres semifinals, running 2:02.73. It was the third fastest time in the heats.

Annestaysha George (Tuks) will compete in the 200 metres semifinals, having run  23.94 seconds this morning in the heats. Eckhart Potgieter (Tuks) won his heat in a time of 20.95 seconds, booking his spot in tomorrow's semifinals.

The 2023 World Student 400m champion, Marlie Viljoen (Tuks), failed to qualify for the final. Her time of 52.99 seconds in the semifinals was the 12th fastest. 

The Tuks athletes have won four medals so far. Pieter Coetze was victorious in the 50 and 100 metres backstroke and won a silver in the 100m freestyle.