While Europe is in the icy grip of winter, athletes are sharpening their form in Potchefstroom, drawn by the altitude, climate and a high-performance sport hub that has quietly become a base for Olympic gold medallists.
Members of the Netherlands’ Olympic gold-winning 4x400 m mixed relay team, including Femke Bol, Lieke Klaver and Isaya Klein Ikkink, are among the international athletes currently training at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) High-Performance Institute (HPI).
The group is using the integrated facility as a pre-season camp ahead of the 2026 athletics season, combining training venues, recovery services and athlete support in one precinct.
Historically, elite visitors to Potchefstroom have included legendary figures such as Gabriela Szabo of Romania, an Olympic champion in the 5 000 m and Olympic bronze medallist in the 1 500 m; Kelly Holmes of Great Britain, an Olympic gold and bronze medallist in middle-distance running; and Jan Železný of the Czech Republic, a triple Olympic javelin champion (1992, 1996 and 2000). All these stars trained in Potchefstroom during their careers as part of their preparations in optimal abroad conditions.
In addition to these historic athletics engagements, the institute continues to host notable international trainees, such as Indian javelin thrower DP Manu, who has utilised the NWU facilities for focused training.
Potchefstroom’s sporting profile on the world stage was further enhanced during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, when the Spain national football team, who went on to win the tournament, chose the city as their base camp for training and preparation, taking advantage of the altitude and excellent amenities provided by the university’s sports village and high performance centre.
Beyond infrastructure, Potchefstroom’s elevation of about 1 350 metres above sea level remains central to its appeal for elite conditioning.
Dr Adele Broodryk, senior lecturer and sport scientist in the NWU’s School for Human Movement Sciences, says moderate altitude environments create physiological conditions that enhance endurance and performance without compromising training quality.
“At altitude, the body experiences reduced oxygen availability, known as hypoxia, which triggers key adaptations,” Dr Broodryk says. “This includes increased red blood cell production, improved oxygen transport and better muscle efficiency in aerobic metabolism.”
These changes, she explains, allow athletes to return to sea-level competition with stronger endurance capacity, faster recovery and the ability to sustain higher intensities.
Potchefstroom, while not considered a high-altitude zone, offers what Dr Broodryk describes as an optimal training threshold.
“At around 1 350 metres, oxygen pressure is reduced enough to stimulate adaptation without being so extreme that athletes struggle to maintain speed, power and intensity,” she says. “At very high altitudes, training quality often drops. Here, athletes gain the benefits of hypoxic exposure while still performing high-intensity sessions.”
The balance is particularly valuable for disciplines that demand both aerobic conditioning and explosive output, including athletics and football.
Essential facilities within easy reach
Dr Broodryk also points to the efficiency of the NWU’s sport precinct, where the HPI, athletics track, training grounds and recovery centres are located within close reach.
“With facilities in proximity, athletes can integrate endurance work, speed training, strength sessions and recovery in one environment,” she says.
The steady arrival of Olympic champions and international teams continues to position the NWU’s Potchefstroom Campus as a global high-performance training base, a setting where elite athletes prepare for competition before stepping back onto the world stage.
Dr Adele Broodryk
