Francois Hartzenberg is breaking barriers on ice as a determined skater making Gauteng proud:
Gauteng, South Africa (04 March 2025) — 18-year-old Francois Hartzenberg is breaking barriers on ice. As a skater with Down syndrome, Francois has become an ambassador for special needs athletes in South African figure skating whose drawn attention not just because of his talent, but also his infectious enthusiasm.
The Gauteng North Figure Skating Association and Evolution on Ice relish in celebrating Francois.
A member of Club 21, Francois has been skating once a week, every week, at The Grove Mall for three years. Guided by head coach at Evolution on Ice Konrad Giering, Francois has blossomed as an ice athlete, competing in provincial level programmes.
His hope is to progress to interprovincial and national competitions.
“If he qualifies, he will be the first South African skater in his category to compete at nationals. His determination is truly remarkable,” says coach Giering.
Freedom on Ice
“He loves the feeling of being free on the ice,” his coach adds. “And when he performs his routines during competitions, he lights up. He absolutely loves skating with me during these moments. That’s when he truly feels free.”
This sensation of freedom also manifests as enthusiasm. Francois loves a crowd interaction (like waving excitedly to the audience or throwing a fist bump mid-glide), and is said to embody the purest love for the sport.
Much like the superheroes he loves (Spider-Man, Hulk and Thor), he is no stranger to overcoming adversity. A great fan of Cool Runnings, much like the characters in the film, Francois is forging a new path of his own on ice.
His big hopes outside of his own performances in the rink are to help establish a dedicated disabled skating division at the SAFSA Nationals so that future skaters with special needs can compete on the national stage too.
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