South Africa’s team of twenty athletes at the Paris Paralympics won a total of five medals, including two golds and three bronzes. Sprinter Mpumelelo Mhlongo set a world record in the T44 long jump class, and Simone Kruger claimed gold in the women’s discus throw F38 class final. Louzanne Coetzee secured a silver medal, and Pieter du Preez earned a bronze medal in the men’s H1 individual time trial. The team’s achievements are a testament to their hard work and resilience and serve as an inspiration to others.
Mpumelelo Mhlongo, a T44 long jump category athlete, broke his own world record by jumping 7.12m at the Paris 2024 Paralympics but finished fifth due to the complexities of the classification system. Despite this, Team South Africa achieved historic wins, including two bronze medals. Each athlete’s performance symbolized personal victory and the invincible human spirit that embodies the Paralympic movement. These stories of resilience and determination transcend the podium and highlight the intricacies of the classification system that influence the outcome.
South African Paralympic athletes Mpumelelo Mhlongo, Collen Mahlalela, Christian Sadie, and Simone Kruger made history at the Paralympics with their outstanding performances. Mhlongo set a new T44 world record while securing a bronze medal, Mahlalela exhibited resilience in the T47 men’s 400m race, Sadie established a new African record in the S7 men’s 50m butterfly final, and Kruger won the gold medal in the F38 discus, breaking her own world record. These athletes’ remarkable achievements serve as a testament to their unwavering spirit and inspire us to push beyond our limitations.
Riding the Waves of Resilience: South Africa’s Inspiring Para Surfers Eye the Paralympics
Para surfing may not yet be an official part of the Paralympic program, but it has been slowly gaining recognition since its debut at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. With dreams of showcasing their skills on the world stage at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, South African para surfers Raemondo Lessing and Thando Ngcikwe are determined to ride the waves of resilience to success.