In a recent article in the Mail & Guardian attention was drawn to the large number of remarkable women hailing from the Free State - South Africa's heartland.

I thought it would be interesting to list some of these wonder women. The Free State tends to lag behind some of the other ‘sexier’ provinces and it’s time to shine some light on the often forgotten part of our beautiful country. 

Sport

Amanda Coetzer

Karen Muir - Broke the world backstroke record at the age of 12 in 1965, and became the youngest world record holder in the world in any sport

Other Free State born Olympians include:

Jeanine Steenkamp (swimming)

Kate Roberts (triathlon)

Lesley-Anne George (hockey - she's currently the Proteas' vice captain)

Pietie Coetzee (hockey - she became the world's leading goal scorer in hockey in June 2011)

Athletics:

Zola Budd (pictured top right)

Tennis:

Amanda Coetzer (Ranked in the top 3 women's tennis players in the world in her day - 1990's)

 

Winnie Madikizela Mandela

Politics

Winnie Madikizela Mandela

 

Entrepreneur

Lize Labuschagne - South Africa's Entrepreneur of the Year 2010

 

Beauty

 

Lieschen Botes

Vickie Fourie - Miss Deaf SA (and 2nd Princess in 2010 Miss Deaf International in Las Vegas)

Lieschen Botes - Official Wonderbra girl in 2005

Tayla Davis - Model, featured in latest Sports Illustrated

Lynn de Bruyn -  Revlon model

 

Acting

Jeanne Nielson - Starred in 'Faith Like Potatoes' and in the latest Free Willy movie, among others

Roxy Meyer - A swimmer and actor who has also appeared in Sports Illustrated