By GARY LEMKE in Paris The Paralympic logo is painted on her left ring fingernail, and on her left wrist is a black band with an inscription in capital letters: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. On her right ring fingernail the South African flag is painted. She places that…

By GARY LEMKE in Paris The makeshift workshop and interview room is actually a space at the end of a corridor in the Paralympic village. Rohan Kennedy is assembling Kirsty Weir’s competition bike and this is a good time to have a chat with the para-triathlete. I ask her to wait a minute so that I…

By GARY LEMKE in Paris Liezel Gouws is still only 25 but she’s already representing South Africa at her third Paralympics. She’s not about to hang up her spikes any time soon either and is committed to the next cycle which will take her to the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. The energetic T37 athlete,…

Team SA’s Paralympians were officially welcomed to Paris by the South African ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa, in the athletes’ village on Tuesday. The ambassador was accompanied by his deputy, Nthabiseng Makuwa, and addressed a gathering of Team SA Paralympians, and motivated them with an inspirational speech. “Welcome to the wonderful city of Paris. Congratulations…

Team SA have representatives across nine different sporting codes at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. For reference when it comes to the classification of the athletes and what they are competing in, here’s a guide to their category. ARCHERY W1 Shaun Anderson Archers with moderately affected coordination, highly affected range of movement, or the…

By GARY LEMKE in Paris You get to understand that it’s a young person’s world when one of Team SA’s biggest hopes for 2024 Paralympic success is still a teenager – and his hero is a 22-year-old countryman who has already been to two such Games’ and won three medals. Puseletso Mabote himself is just…

By GARY LEMKE in Paris Born in Chatsworth, growing up in Klaarwater, studied in Cape Town, working in Johannesburg, making his Paralympic debut in Rio de Janeiro, being crowned world champion in both Paris and Kobe, Mpumelelo Mhlongo has become a true citizen of the world. Fortunately, he’s ours, South African and is one of…

With less than four days to go before the 2024 Paralympics opens in Paris, Team South Africa has arrived and settled in the athletes village, ready to play a full part in the success of the event. For these Games there are a record number of countries competing (168), a record number of para-athletes…

Another eight names were added to Team SA’s squad to attend the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris from 28 August to 8 September. They include representatives from two more sports: para judo and para triathlon. In total, Team SA now has para competitors across athletics, cycling, judo, equestrian, triathlon, swimming, and wheelchair tennis. The financial…