POLOKWANE – Team Limpopo returned on August 31 after successfully representing the province at the Special Olympics South Africa (SOSA) Summer National Championships 2026.

The championships took place at Hoërskool Rustenburg from August 28 to 30, where the team participated in netball, basketball, table tennis, bocce, athletics, swimming and futsal.

Two athletes selected for Team SA

Some of the highlights of the championships for Team Limpopo include two basketball players, Hope Shitlhangu and Vusimusi Ramathuba, who have been selected to form part of Team South Africa for the Special Olympics Team that will represent the country in Chile next year at the World Special Olympics Championships.

Gold in basketball

In basketball, the team displayed dominance in the semi-final and final fixtures against Northern Cape and Free State respectively, scooping gold and securing position one.

Individual achievements

The team also obtained position one in athletics, with Hope Shitlhangu winning the women’s 100m final. Vusimusi Ramathuba won the table tennis and brought home a gold medal.

The team competed strongly for gold and bronze medals in the 500m, 200m and 100m.

A strategic priority for the province

Special Olympics and para-athletics are part of the fundamental pillars and central strategic objectives of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture to promote active citizenry and social cohesion by ensuring inclusivity in sport, utilising sport as a tool for development and socialisation, and implementing programmes that ensure everyone can participate, including people living with disabilities.