TuksAthletics coach Jaun Strydom, who passed away last week, will leave a massive void in South African athletics.

"It is a great sadness for our sport. We were all shocked to hear Juan had died. It happened way too soon. Athletics still needed him," said Nico van Heerden, a longtime friend and fellow coach at the TuksAthletics Club.

Athletes and coaches paid their last respects to Strydom during a memorial service in Pretoria today.

According to Hugo Badenhorst, Strydom was the best 100-meter and 110-meter hurdles coach in South Africa.

"He was an exceptionally well-read and knowledgeable coach who made hurdles coaching and speed development his specialty. Jaun had a unique ability to convey information to his athletes and those who attended our coaching courses. He rarely failed to improve athletes' technique," said Badenhorst

Marione Fourie's performances in the 100m hurdles over the past three years are a testament to that. The 12.69 seconds with which she won the short hurdles in Johannesburg on Wednesday is currently the fastest in the world.

Over the past three years, Fourie has been ranked as one of the 20 fastest female athletes in the 100m hurdles in the world. Last year, she broke the South African record to 12.49 seconds. Earlier this year, she broke the South African indoor record to 7.91 seconds.

Fourie was due to compete in the World Indoor Championships in China this weekend but withdrew because she wanted to pay her final respects to her coach at his funeral today (21 March). According to Fourie, Strydom was like a father to her.

Badenhorst describes Strydom as a man with an interestingly complex personality. 

"Juan was an outspoken person who shot from the hip and was never afraid to speak his mind. His opinions were always well thought out and well-founded. He would express them without any fear or reservation to whoever he was talking to, regardless of that person's status or stature. He was not the kind of person who would criticize or discuss you behind your back. He would look you in the eye and say what he wanted without fear or reservation. This made him a valued and generally respected person," said Badenhorst.

According to Van Heerden, Strydom went out of his way to make things happen for his athletes.

"I met him two years ago in Italy. He and four of his athletes travelled in a small car from one event to another. He was not only the coach but also the agent who constantly negotiated with event organizers so that his athletes could run.

"But Jaun also did not tolerate nonsense. One of his athletes, a former South African hurdles champion, tells how he went too far with the celebrations on his 18th birthday. Jaun was not too happy when he heard about it. The athlete was made to pay for his 'sins' the next day during training. The athlete told me he can't remember ever being so sick during training. The message Jaun wanted to convey to him was that in an athletics season, there is no time for alcoholic excesses," Van Heerden said.

Strydom was a hurdler at school but admitted that his performances did not set the world alight. 

"I did win a few races, but nothing major. I was a better judoka. I got my provincial colours. I took up coaching when my younger brother decided to be a hurdler. My brother took a tumble in his first race, which led to me deciding to help him. I was about 22 at the time. I have never stopped coaching," Strydom said during an interview last year. 

"Being a coach is to me more than what happens on the track. I see myself more as a mentor. I want my athletes to succeed in everything they do—as athletes and students. It is important to me that athletes enjoy what they do during training. Yes, there are going to be difficult times and disappointments. I tend, at times, to be tough as a coach. But when that breakthrough moment happens, it is so special."

This year was the 48th in which Strydom coached. He had a lifelong love of horses, which culminated in his serving in the South African Police's mounted unit.