South Africa’s Mpumelelo Mhlongo, in the green, competes in the men’s 100m heats at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics FILE - South Africa’s Mpumelelo Mhlongo, in the green, competes in the men’s 100m heats at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics in 2021. Photo: Marcus Brandt/dpa via AFP
All eyes will be on wheelchair tennis superstar Kgothatso Montjane as she leads South Africa’s medal charge at the Paralympic Games in Paris, which starts on Wednesday.
Montjane will be one of 20 athletes representing Team South Africa at the games, and the three-time Grand Slam champion will be looking to go all the way having been knocked out in the quarter-final stage at the 2020 Tokyo games, which were held in 2021.
The 38-year-old Montjane should be among the favourites in wheelchair tennis having won the French Open and US Open titles last year, and the Wimbledon title earlier this year.
Sprinter and long-jumper Mpumelelo Mhlongo and swimmer Kat Swanepoel, who both competed in Tokyo, will carry the South African flag at the opening ceremony on Wednesday.
Ntando Mahlangu, who won two gold medals in Men's long jump T63, and Men's 200 metres T61 will miss out on the Paris games having fallen agonisingly short in qualifying.
However, Team SA will feature three medal winners from Tokyo in Pieter du Preez, who won gold in the Men's road time trial H1, Louzanne Coetzee who took silver in the Women's 1500 metres T11 and bronze in the Women's marathon T12, as well as Women's 400 metres T37 bronze medal winner Sheryl James.
🏅 Throwback to Tokyo! 🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦
— Team South Africa (@OfficialTeamRSA) August 26, 2024
Ntando Mahlangu’s gold medal in the Men’s Long Jump was nothing short of legendary. 🌟 A leap that that set a new World Record. Let’s relive this iconic moment as we gear up for Paris 2024!#TeamSA #ForMyCountry #Paralympics #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/9Dk652Mbgy
ARCHERY
Men: Shaun Anderson (W1)
ATHLETICS
Men: Mpumelelo Mhlongo (T44 100m and long jump), Kerwin Noemdo (F46 shot put), Puseletso Mabote (T63 100m and long jump), Collen Mahlalela (T47 400m), Khumo Pitso (T46 high jump), Jaco Smit (T12 100m), Daniel du Plessis (T62 400m), Hermanus Blom (F12 shot put), Erasmus Badenhorst (guide, 1500m), Claus Kempen (guide, marathon) and Paul Daniels (T22 400m)
Women: Simone Kruger (T38 discus), Sheryl James (T37 100m, 200m, 400m), Louzanne Coetzee (T11 1500m and marathon), Liezel Gouws (T37 400m and long jump), Yane van der Merwe (F44 discus) and Tezna Abrahams (T44 long jump and 200m)
BOCCIA
Men: Karabo Cassius Morapedi (BC3) and Matobako Vincent Ramochela (BC3 ramp operator)
Women: Elanza Jordaan (BC3) and Sandre Jordaan (BC3 ramp operator).
CYCLING
Men: Pieter du Preez
EQUESTRIAN
Women: Philippa Johnson-Dwyer and Christiaan Haazen (groom)
JUDO
Men: Ndyeni Lamani (J1, under 73kg)
PARA-TRIATHLON
Women: Kirsty Weir
SWIMMING
Men: Nathan Hendricks (S13 200m individual medley, 100m backstroke, SB13 100m breaststroke) and Christian Sadie (S7 50m butterfly, 100m backstroke, 50m freestyle, SM7 200m individual medley)
Women: Alani Ferreira (S12 400m freestyle, SB12 100m breaststroke, SM12 200m Individual Medley, S12-S13 100m butterfly), Danika Vyncke (SB13 100m breaststroke) and Kat Swanepoel (SM5 200m Individual Medley, S5 50m backstroke, 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle, SB4 100m breaststroke, S14 400m freestyle)
WHEELCHAIR TENNIS
Men: Alwande Sikhosana, Donald Ramphadi and Lucas Sithole
Women: Kgothatso Montjane and Mariska Venter
IOL Sport
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