Local athletes shine at Paralympic Games
The 23-year old Charl du Toit and the 14-year old Ntando Mahlangu, both from Pretoria, were among the top-performing South Africans at the Paralympic Games that ended this week.
The national para-athletics team delivered in style by carrying the SA squad at the Paralympic Games in Rio.
Taking the baton from the able-bodied team, which contributed four of the nation’s 10 medals at last month’s Olympics, the athletics squad bagged 15 of the country’s 17 medals at the Paralympics, which came to a close on Sunday.
Four athletes earned two medals each at the Games, with Pretoria’s Charl du Toit bagging double gold in the Men’s 100m and 400m T37 sprint events, Hilton Langenhoven earning gold in the Men’s T12 Long Jump and silver in the 200m dash, Dyan Buis pocketing gold in the Men’s 400m T38 final and bronze in the Long Jump, and Ilse Hayes scooping silver in the 100m and 400m T13 finals.
Photo: Martin Potgieter
Among the other standout performers were Ernst van Dyk, who finished sixth in the T54 wheelchair marathon at his seventh straight Paralympics after securing gold in the H5 road cycling race, flag bearer Zanele Situ, who returned to the podium for the first time in 12 years with bronze in the F54 Javelin Throw.
Another Pretoria boy, the 14-year-old speedster Ntando Mahlangu grabbed silver in the Men’s 200m T42 final.
“Congratulations to the entire Paralympic team and to SASCOC for superb all-round performances. We are pleased with their achievements and we thank them for lifting our national flag with pride,” said Aleck Skhosana, the President of Athletics South Africa.
The SA team finished 22nd overall in the Rio medals table with seven gold, six silver and four bronze.
Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites:
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
