Reports of a family feud and racism in the family of high jumper Hestrie Cloete could have cost her the Olympic gold medal, her trainer Martin Marx said on Tuesday.
Speaking on his return from the Olympics where Cloete scooped a silver medal, Marx said: ”She was under a lot of pressure but Hestrie takes pressure fine.
”She was jumping perfectly in practices right up to the preliminary. But this was pressure of a personal nature.”
Marx was referring to recent reports quoting some of Cloete’s relatives being involved in a feud and a subsequent article with a family member making a racist joke.
A disgruntled Marx said in Europe Cloete was a hero but ”over here [in South Africa] I am angry with the media.”
”I have known Hestrie since she was 13 and she is not a racist.”
Cloete did not arrive with the rest of the athletes on Tuesday as she had to participate in other events in Europe. – Sapa