Elke Van der Westhuizen

Class:
Freshman
High School:
La Rochelle Girls' High School, Paarl
Hometown:
Paarl, South Africa

2021-2022 Indoor: Competed in six meets during her freshman season… Finished fourth in the 200m with a time of 25.36 at the YSU Indoor Icebreaker (Dec. 3)… Was a member of the Panthers’ Distance Medley Relay team that won at the Bucknell Tune Up (Feb. 18) finishing with a 11:28.29… Ran a 58.58 in the 400m and finished fourth at Nittany Lion Challenge (Jan. 15)… Ran her career best time of 7.82 in the 60m dash at the Tiger Paw Invite (Feb. 12)… Placed fifth in the 60m dash at the YSU Indoor Icebreaker (Dec. 3) running a 7.92.

High School: Was a four-year member and one-year team captain of the track & field team at La Rochelle Girls' High School for head coach André van der Burgh in South Africa... named best track athlete twice (2019, 2020)... member of the South African National Junior Track & Field Team (2019)... was a medalist at the South African National Championships in the 100m, 200, and 400m (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)... was a U20 silver medalist at the South African Championships in the 100m and 200m (2021)... member of the La Rochelle Girls' high schoo;l student council (2020)... earned full academic honors all four years... also played field hockey and biathlon in high school.

Personal: Born January 5, 2003... daughter of André and Annatjie van der Westhuizen... has two siblings, Anja and Inge... enjoys playing the piano and dancing (ballet)... lists her favorite athletes as Karsten Warholm and Katrina Johnson-Thompson... her favorite TV show is How I Met Your Mother... she loves track because "on track performances are not subjective, the stopwatch never lies and what you put in uis what you ultimately get out"... plans on majoring in business.