Top sprint coach Paul Gorries leads Tuks exodus due to toxic environment

Gorries and his team of athletes are trading the green and blue colours of the Athletics Gauteng North in Tshwane for the red colours of Athletics Central North West in Potchefstroom.

Eight athletes, including Bradley Nkoana – the youngest SA 100m record holder at 17, moved to Potchefstroom earlier this week, while five-time SA junior national record holder, Viwe Jingqi, will join her teammates in the North West on Saturday.

Gauteng Sports Awards nominee for Newcomer of the Year, Benjamin Richardson, is still in Ghana on holiday with his family but will alos relocate with his teammates to Potch next week.

Gorries tells the national broadcaster’s sports desk, he will be joining his athletes on Sunday morning at their new home.

“We are moving from the University of Pretoria to a new home in Potchefstroom. The environment at that university is toxic. I initially wanted to leave last year, but they begged me to stay, but I said, enough is enough,” explained a fed-up Gorries.

“It is not ideal for my athletes to work in that environment. The university looks beautiful from the outside, but is gloomy on the inside.”

The 41-year-old national 4x100m relay coach said he does not care if Tuks closed down under what he described as bad management.

“I could not stay a day longer in that toxic environment. There are too many internal fights and my athletes get exposed to these things,” he added.

Gorries claims to have taken unpaid leave in November following the submission of his resignation letter in October last year.

“I have a lot to tell about the toxic environment in Pretoria. I did not care about the money and wanted to see myself out of there,” he said.

Gorries claims he received three job offers from overseas, but his group of athletes bagged him to consider local jobs, hence his decision to join the University of North West.

He further alleges the likes of Akani Simbine, Carina Horn and Clarence Munyai left the University of Pretoria due to the same toxic environment.

“Where are Clarence [Munyai], Akani [Simbine], and Carina [Horn]? Just ask yourself that question, and I say the trio left because the environment is impossible to work there, and I fear many will follow suit,” warned Gorries.

By Charles Baloyi