Incredible Perfomance of South African in Paralympics

South African Paralympics made its debut at the 1964 Summer games in Tokyo, Japan. That year they won 19 medals and 8 out of them were gold. They finished sixth on the medal table. Since then, the contingent is going strong. This year South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) announced an exceptional team of heroes who would represent their country. The team was made up of 45 strong athletes who have proved their steel in various international events in the past. This team of athletes was expected to run, jump, swim, swing and do miracles to bring a medal home from the 2016 Summer Paralympics at Rio de Janeiro.

This year’s Paralympics was held from 7th September to 18th September, 2016. SASCOC CEO, Mr Tubby Reddy said,“Our Paralympians have always done us proud at previous games and South Africa has a track record of excellent results evidenced by obtaining a total of 29 medals in London in 2012. I have no doubt that this team will maintain this standard and even do better in RIO”

Who participated in what?

Archery

In Archery, one archer could qualify for this prestigious event following their performance at the 2015 World Archery Para Championships. Shaun Anderson who is also known as ‘The one arm bandit’ was the only participant in archery. He is a resident of Johannesburg. He started archery in 2011 and in 2012 he played his international debut. Anderson is coached by Barbara Manning.

Athletics

Athletics squad is manned with seven women and thirteen men. In women there were Ilse Carstens, Louzanne Coetzee, Liezel Gouws, Anrune Liebenberg, Zandile Nhlapo, Zanele Situ and Chenelle Van Zyl.

In men Dyan Buis, Charl Du Toit, Arnu Fourie, Reinhardt Hamman, Hilton Langenhoven, Ntando Mahlangu, Mpumelelo Mhlongo, Jonathan Ntutu,Tyrone Pillay, Union Sekailwe, Fanie Van Der Merwe, Ernst Van Dyk, Kgothatso Mokone ( Guide ). They are coached by Neels Matthyser, Daniel Damon, Raymond Julius, Karin Le Roux and Suzanne Ferreira.

Para-Cycling

South Africa being one of the most high ranked NPCs on the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) cleared for 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio for Cycling. It consisted of Ernst Van Dyk who is one of the most decorated paralympians in the world. Other athletes included Craig Ridgard, Goldy Fuchs, Justin Asher, Roxanne Burns and Dane Wilson. These people are backed by some amazing people. They are Elrick Kulsen, JC Van der Walt And Pieter Jansen who is the mechanic for the team.

Para-Canoeing

Para-canoeing was another such event where past importance paved the way for the athletes. Following their flawless performance in 2015 ICF Canoe Sprint and Paracano World Championships in Milan, team laid their stepping stone for the Rio Paralympics. Graham Paull finished fifth in the men’s event. Paull was an ex-rugby player and after being diagnosed with transverse myelitis (disease effecting spinal cord), Paull joined para canoeing. He was assisted and coached by Fouche Van Tonder.

Para-Powerlifting

A woman did wonders in powerlifting this time. Chantelle Stierman is the only athlete who had qualified for powerlifting in Rio Paralympics. Stierman suffered from a back injury and has paraplegia. She had her financial constrains and could not participate in many of the events in the past few years. But this year she was prepared to give a good fight. Chantelle Stierman was the coach for powerlifting.

Para-Rowing

In Rowing, athletes made their way to Rio by finishing at top eight at the 2015 FISA World Rowing Championships. They gave a hard fight to Great Britain at The LTA Mixed Coxed Four event and finished fifth behind Great Britain. Team had Sandra Khumalo, Lucy Perold, Shannon Murray in woman. In men they had Dylan Trollope, Dieter Rosslee, Willie Morgan (Coxwain). They were trained by Marco Galeone.

Aquatics

Aquatics team constituted of three woman and three men. Alani Ferreira, Emily Gray and Shireen Sapiro are the women participants and Achmat Hassiem, Hendri Herbst and Kevin Paul are the three men members. Swimmers from the South African contingent competed in the 2015 IPC Swimming World Championship to qualify for Rio. Hendri Herbst was one of them who set a great time. A blind swimmer from Worcester, Western Cape against all odds clinched a time of 1:00.35 in the men’s S11 100 metre category. Beth Nothling and Emily Gray also qualified for the event with an amazing time.

Para-Wheelchair Tennis

For Wheelchair Tennis, one woman and three men had qualified for the event. Kgothatso Montjane, Leon Els, Lucas Sithole and Evans Maripa were the part of the tennis participation.

Para-Shooting

In the field of shooting, Von Zeuner Kohne is the only one who qualified for the big event. She was helped by her coach Alexis Volschenk. Kohne was born with bifida and she has been firing rounds since 1991. She finished sixth in the Paralympics in 2004.

Para-Equestrian

This game is all about co-ordination between a horse and a human. Philippa Johnson and Mieke Wirix (Groom) are two qualifiers for this event. In this sport the rider has to manoeuvre a horse on a track with obstacles. They are trained by Christiaan Haazen.

Conclusion at the Paralympics

Every year there is an increase of participation in paralympics. This shows that people are getting motivated to pursue their favourite sport regardless their physical incapabilities. This year was no exception and Rio saw many ups and downs during those 11 days. A total of 161 countries participated with 4,300 participants in 528 events in 22 sports. With a total of 17 medals, South Africa stood on 22nd position on the medal table. Athletes did an exceptional job, and gave their best to compete with best athletes who participated from across the globe. Many records were made and broken. There are seven gold medals, six silver medal and four bronze medals.

The Stars of South Paralympics

Fanie van der Merwe: is an athlete who’s main forte is to run in T37 sprint events. He is one of the most prominent athletes in contingent. Fanie has won 2 gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and another gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics. This year gentleman has bagged a bronze medal at the Men’s 100m T37 category sprint event with a time of 11.54 seconds. He was born with cerebral palsy, but it never stopped him to pursue his love for sprinting.

Tyrone Pillay:

from the grounds of shot put, Tyrone Pillay has bagged a bronze medal for himself. Pillay was competing in the Men’s Shot Put F42 category as he threw his career best at 13.91 metres. He comfortably broke his personal best record of 13.49 and it became a new continental best and national best. Pillay was born with an abnormal left foot. He needed a prosthetic foot which could assist him with his walking and sport. The shot putter is categorised under an above knee amputee.

Ntombizanele Situ:

won a bronze medal in the Women’s Javelin Throw F54 event. With a throw of 17.90 she saw African Nigerian F.Ugwuna bagging a gold and a world record. It was her personal best. Situ took up athletics career at school situated in Mthala. She was paralyzed due to a tuberculosis infection in the spinal cord that confined her to the wheelchair.

Dyan Neille Buis:

is a sprint runner and long jumper for South African contingent. In 2012 London Olympics Buis won 2 silver and 1 bronze for sprint and long jump respectively. Dyan has a mild cerebral palsy and he competes under T38 class. With a long jump of 6.58m in the Men’s Long Jump T38 category, Buis was able to secure a bronze medal for himself. Dyan also set a paralympic record by finishing first and setting a time of 49.46 seconds at the Men’s 400m T38 category,for this amazing performance he won a gold medal.

Ilse Hayes:

has a great track record. A bronze at 2004 Athens Paralympic games, a gold and a silver at 2008 Beijing Paralympics and another gold and a silver at the 2012 London Olympics. She is a sprinter (T13 category) and a long jump (F13 category) athlete. With a time of 11.91 seconds in Woman’s 100m T13 sprint event she bagged a silver medal for her exceptional performance and it was her season best. Hayes won another silver medal for herself in the Woman’s 400m T13 category with a track time of 56.59 seconds.

Ntando Mahlangu:

is a regular 14 year boy who loves to play football and goes to training after school. After finishing second at the Men’s 200m T-42 category, he was not anymore a regular boy. The boy wonder finished with a time of 23.77 seconds, just being behind the British athlete Richard WhiteHead. The boy was not expecting a medal for himself and was surprised on his performance that led to a silver medal. Mahlangu was confined to wheelchair since he suffered from hemimelia( a condition where legs did not develop fully below knees), but with a help of Jumping Kids, a Non Profit Organisation, provided him prostheses.

Anrune Liebenberg:

is a sprinter with the South African contingent. She had won a bronze at 200m event and a silver medal at 400m event at the 2012 London P a r a l ymp i c s . Her left arm is amputated below the elbow and she competed in the Women’s 400m T45/46/47 disability class. With a time of 58.88 seconds, Anrune clinched a second spot at the women’s 400m T47 event.

Ndodomzi Jonathan Ntutu:

is a visually impaired sprinter. Ntutu has competed in three Paralympic games and he won his first bronze medal at the 2012 Olympic games in London. Ntutu won a silver medal at the men’s 100m T12 disability class with a record time of 11.09 seconds that was his season best also.

is a visually impaired, three time Paralympic champion. He had won a bronze medal back in 2004 in Athens Paralympics and three gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. This year Langenhoven jumped to a massive distance of 7.07m in the Men’s long Jump T12 category getting him a gold medal. It was his season best performance. A gold medal could not stop or satisfy the hunger for more medals for Hilton Langenhoven. He won another silver medal in the Men’s 200m T12 category. Langenhoven clinched a time of 22.43 seconds.

Kevin Paul:is an amazing swimmer with the contingent. This year Kevin won a gold medal at the Men’s 100 Breaststroke SB9 category. Kevin touched the wall at a time of 1:04.86. It was the first gold medal that was given to the South African contingent. Kevin was born without any pectoral muscles in the chest (left side), as a result of poland syndrome. Paul’s arm is shorter than his right side of his chest. He has adopted his stroke to swim with his shoulder muscles.

Charl du Toit:is a Johannesburg born 23-year-old gentleman, who won a gold medal at the Men’s 100m T37 category and another gold at Men’s 400m T37 category. Charl was able to achieve a time of 51.13 second at the 400m event which became a paralympics record and a time of 11.45 seconds at the 100m event. Charl du Toit suffers from cerebral palsy. For his achievements he thanked his coaches and medical team, who helped him to get up and running.

Ernst van:one of the most celebrated paracyclist Ernst van Dyk did not let his country down at the Rio Olympics. Dyk won a gold at the Men’s Road Race H5 category. He is one of the best South African Wheelchair racer and handcyclist. World championships, Paralympic titles, Sportsperson with a Disability of the year are some of the feathers in his hat. He was born with congenital absence of legs. His parents were supportive and always encouraged him to participate in the sports.

Reinhardt Hamman:was born in Cape Town and embraced athletics at the age of 13. Reinhardt threw a Javelin at a distance of 50.96m, with an improvement of 74 cm at the Men’s Javelin Throw F38 category and it lead him towards winning a gold medal. Hamman dedicated his win to his late father Louis who had passed away in March. He also suffers from cerebral palsy.