By GARY LEMKE
Team South Africa has the social media hashtag #ForMyCountry when they compete in multi-code events around the globe, and the latest example of athletes living up to it was at the inaugural African Para Games in Accra, Ghana.
While the women’s wheelchair basketballers went all the way to the final where they were beaten by Algeria, it was the wheelchair tennis double act of Alwande Sikhosana and Leon Els who brought home four medals between the two of them.
Sikhosana won the men’s singles gold when he beat Els in the final, while the pair teamed up to take the doubles gold medal. There was no resentment or animosity, just a shared sense of joy and achievement for each other and for their country.
Highlighting the bond that they share, and a further example of the camaraderie that exists with Team SA athletes at multi-code events, was the fa
ct that Sikhosana and Els shared a room in Ghana, despite being in direct competition with one another for gold and silver.
“Leon made it so easy for me to be myself,” said the eventual gold medallist, at 23 the younger of the two by 12 years, and who went on to win the singles final 6-2 6-3.
“We’re both adults, and we know where to respect each other. If he has to go to bed early, we switch off the light, and if I’m on my phone I plug in my headset. We get along well and both of us like to be tidy. If one of us needs the TV to be switched off to go to sleep, we do that,” said Sikhosana.
Their bond wasn’t shaken in the slightest even the night before, or on the morning of the singles final. “There was obviously plenty at stake,” said Els, “especially with the winner getting an automatic spot in next year’s Paris Paralympics.
“As tennis players we play each other, make friends on tour, get used to tour life. On court we fight hard, but it’s what’s happening on court to off it. When I lost, of course, I was disappointed. I had an elbow injury, and wasn’t 100% but I have to accept it. Part of our sport is to be glad for the other guy. It took me five minutes to get over the disappointment and then I was happy for Alwande.”
The new Africa Para Games champion, who was the highest-ranked player in the tournament at No31 in the world, regarded it “as a normal day. The night before was normal and the morning of the final we both went for breakfast, chatted and even warmed up together. The difference is that when the match starts you zone in and do your best. When the match finishes it’s back to how we were.”
Despite taking home the silver medal from the singles, after the pair had each picked up a doubles gold, the 35-year-old Els was upbeat. “Look, I have a long career ahead of me. People forget that I only started playing wheelchair tennis at 19, after having my bus accident at 18. It was a monumental occasion to be part of the first African Para Games with Team SA. Winning gold in doubles, we’re the first African Para Games winners. It’s a huge honour, representing SA, and the medals will go on the mantelpiece.”
Els pointed to his 2023 form and the example of France’s Stephane Houdet is something he highlights. “Stephane has been at the top for around 20 years and even though he’s 52 years old, he beat the current world No1 at the recent US Open. For me, I feel that something has clicked in the last three months and my performance level is rising. I’m curious and excited to see what I can accomplish going forward.”
One of Els’ best performances this year came at the Belgian Open, where he beat world No19 Ben Bartram, of Britain. “I had low expectations going into the tournament, but despite the minimal travelling – mainly down to funding issues – I’m in the best shape of my career. It started at the Paras in Tokyo in 2021. It’s about how I approach matches. I used to be a player who liked to grind it out, and I didn’t know I had the ability to hit through the ball, create pace and kill the point. I have a more aggressive mindset these days.”
Els departed Ghana ranked 54 globally and with some work to do to qualify for Paris, but Sikhosana, a former world junior No2, is on the rise and currently sits 23rd in the world. And even from there, the only way is up.
“I want to achieve as much as I can as soon as possible. I don’t have a specific time period in which to achieve things, like winning Grand Slams. I believe I am getting to a level where I can achieve anything. I’m looking forward to the next 20 years, 40 years … I dunno when my peak will be. Of course, I want to have a wife and a family one day, but career wise I‘m focusing on playing at the highest levels.”
Sikhosana has been playing wheelchair tennis since Grade 4, when he followed the teacher and a fellow learner out of the class. “I was at a special needs school in Harding, KZN, and was always interested in sport. I’d tried wheelchair basketball, table tennis, but then I saw that every Wednesday the teacher would go to wheelchair tennis training, and the guy who went with him didn’t have to do homework.
“So, I was naughty and dodged class, because I didn’t want to do my homework. They soon found that I had ability. I was sent to a tennis camp and that’s where I met (former player turned Para coach) Patrick Selepe. I won that camp and things just went up from there.”
Sikhosana was born with bow legs, but a medical procedure led to his permanent disability. “I was around three when my Mom took me to a doctor to straighten my legs. They do this with a lot of young children. I had an operation, but it didn’t go well and I developed right leg hemiplegia, caused by tissue damage to the spinal cord.
“For years I was angry, asking why my Mom couldn’t sue the doctor and things like that. But today I’m grateful for the opportunities I have been given, and I am where I am because of things going wrong back then. It’s a blessing in disguise; it was obviously meant to be for me and this is my purpose in life.”
Both Sikhosana and Els – who is an avid Springbok rugby supporter, having himself represented the Leopards at Under-18 level before the bus accident that changed his life – feel that mentally and physically, wheelchair tennis is something they can do for many years to come.
“Apart from the competitive nature, mentally and physically it keeps us wheelchair users in great shape,” said Els. “If you’re in a wheelchair and idle your body will deteriorate quickly. You have to stay as strong as you can, and this is a great help.”
Although they share so much in common, get them to talk about tennis’ GOAT and it’s a different story. “Rafa, no question. Imagine how much more he could have achieved without all those injuries,” says Sikhosana.
“Not a chance,” replies Els. “Djokovic is the greatest ever. He is still active and he won so many Grand Slams by having to beat both Rafa and Federer who were at the pinnacle of their careers.”
Also a shared interest is Siya Kolisi’s Springboks. The glint in their eyes when they talk about the Boks – “we went to a South African restaurant in Accra to watch the Rugby World Cup win against Scotland,” says Sikhosana – and sport in general is apparent.
It’s yet another example of being “stronger together” and succeeding “for my country”. In that respect, it’s gold medals all round for two of South African sport’s great champions, on and off the court.