Our para-athletes have shone on day one of the II Caixa Loterias Athletics and Swimming Open Championships in Sao Paulo, Brazil, writes Mark Etheridge.
The group was greeted by cool conditions with some rain and wind, in stark contrast to the hot conditions experienced to date.
The first afternoon was dominated by the 100-metre events with three-time London Paralympic medallist Dyan Buis taking gold for the team.
Says coach Suzanne Ferreira: “He had a great start and then went to ‘sleep’ but finished well in first place with a season’s best of 11.47 seconds.”
Then it was the turn of yet another Paralympics gold medallist, Fanie van der Merwe and Charl du Toit and, says, Ferreira: “Charl had a brilliant start and Fanie a brilliant finish.
“Fanie ran a good 11.78 to win and Charl had a personal best of 11.98, sub-12sec goal achieved.”
The Stellenbosch based coach’s other athlete left the best till last as the three-time Paralympian Ilse Hayes blitzed to a personal best South African and African record of 12.22 in the 100m T13 category.
Other 100m times in the group were 12.04 by Union Sekailwe, 12.51 to Andrea Dalle Ave, 13.49 for Teboho Mokgalagadi, 11.24 for Hilton Langenhoven and 11.27 for Jonathan Ntutu.
Inside the athletics track our two field athletes were also in action as IPC World Championships javelin gold medallist Reinhardt Hamman, pictured right in Brazil, excelled in his other discipline of shot put.
“My shotput started off shaky but I found my rhythm very quick,” he told Road to Rio 2016. “I started off with an 11.30, and ended with a new SA record of 12.26m it was incredible to be competing in Brazil and all the thanks needs to be given to SASCOC because without them this wouldn’t be possible.
“‘I’m throwing javelin tonight (SA time) and I’m very excited for this event as i am looking to throw a new Africa record and a PB.”
Durban-based Tyrone Pillay, also in the shot, heaved his way to a 12.60m finish in his category. “A Decent performance today, a new season’s best and first place,” he summed up.