At the Paris Paralympic Games, South Africa’s compact team of 20 athletes has already secured five medals, including two gold and four bronze, demonstrating remarkable performance despite competing in fewer sports and with fewer participants compared to their seven-medal haul in Tokyo, Cape {town} Etc reports.
According to Team SA, with sprinter Mpumelelo Mhlongo and discus thrower Simone Kruger clinching two gold medals in France, South Africa’s Paralympic team has already outshone their Olympic counterparts, who secured one gold, three silver, and two bronze at the previous month’s Games.
In addition to their impressive medal count, the Paralympic team reached significant milestones.
Notably, Lucas Sithole and Donald Ramphadi’s victory in the wheelchair tennis quad doubles marked South Africa’s first tennis medal since the country’s re-entry into international sport three decades ago.
Donald Ramphadi & Lucas Sithole have made history as the first South Africans to win a medal in #WheelchairTennis after a thrilling bronze medal match victory, 6-2, 4-6, 10-8! ????
#TeamSA #ForMyCountry #Paralympics pic.twitter.com/7VUKUtdoE2
— Team South Africa (@OfficialTeamRSA) September 4, 2024
Their triumph came with a win over Brazil in the bronze medal match held on the prestigious clay courts of Roland-Garros.
Earlier in the day, cyclist Pieter du Preez earned a bronze medal in the men’s H1 individual time trial, adding to the impressive achievements of South Africa’s Paralympic team.
These podium finishes followed sprinter Mpumelelo Mhlongo’s gold in the 100m T44 final last Sunday.
Regular Soweto Marathon participant Louzanne Coetzee also contributed to the team’s success, securing a silver medal in the 1,500m T11 class.
Louzanne, along with her guide Estean Badenhorst, clocked a personal best time of 4:35.49, shaving five seconds off her previous record set at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Louzanne Coetzee takes on the Women’s Marathon T12 at 8:30 AM! ?♀️? Let’s show our support as she goes the distance for ??! #TeamSA #ForMyCountry #Paralympics pic.twitter.com/HMvGOZSItW
— Team South Africa (@OfficialTeamRSA) September 8, 2024
Meanwhile, 19-year-old Simone Kruger continued to build momentum for the team, winning gold with a throw of 38.70m in the women’s discus throw F38 class final.
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Simone Kruger is all smiles after winning GOLD ? in the Women’s F38 Discus Throw! A new Paralympics record to her name and a moment of pure greatness! ???
#TeamSA #ForMyCountry #Paralympics pic.twitter.com/DuVSifgcAc
— Team South Africa (@OfficialTeamRSA) September 7, 2024
Her remarkable performance set a new Paralympic record.
Mpumelelo Mhlongo also set a new world record in the long jump, despite falling short of a medal in the men’s long jump final on Wednesday with a fifth-place finish in the T64 competition.
His effort of 7.12m set a new world mark in the T44 class.
The 30-year-old, born with amniotic band syndrome and a deformed club foot, competed in the T44 classification, which includes athletes with mild limb loss or muscle weakness in the legs, without prosthetics.
Mpumelelo launched another bid for a medal in the 400m T64, earning a bronze medal.
? *Bronze for Mpumelelo Mhlongo!*
A remarkable effort in the Men’s 200m T64 Final secures him the bronze medal! ?? Well done on a great race, Mpumelelo! ??? #TeamSA #ForMyCountry #Paralympics pic.twitter.com/AZWK5JT4L1
— Team South Africa (@OfficialTeamRSA) September 7, 2024
The T64 classification, in contrast, is for those with one leg missing below the knee.
While medals eluded Team SA swimmers, they set new African records.
Kat Swanepoel clocked 49.63 seconds in the women’s 50m backstroke S5 heats, and Nathan Hendricks posted a time of 2:17.15 in the men’s 200m IM SM13 final, both establishing new benchmarks for the continent.
First Published on Cape Town ETC
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