SA Paralympic team ready to showcase talent in Rio

Published Aug 30, 2016

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SOUTH AFRICA’S Paralympians are ready for anything the Games might throw at them.

Aiming to bring home no less than 20 medals, of which eight are to be gold, South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) chief executive Tubby Reddy said the team’s 45 athletes were ready to showcase their talents.

Zanele Situ, participating in her fifth Paralympics, is the country’s official flag-bearer.

Situ takes part in javelin, shot put and discus, and was the first black athlete to win a Paralympic gold medal in the 2000 Paralympics.

“She is one of the most decorated Paralympians and has raised the profile of black female Paralympians over the years. She has consistently performed well and is ranked 3rd in the world. She was a recipient of the National Order of Ikhamanga Award for Outstanding Achievement in 2003,” Reddy said. MEC for Cultural Affairs and Sport, Anroux Marais said she would be in Rio to support the athletes. Vivienne Hamman, executive of the Western Province Association for the Physically Disabled and Visually Impaired, said Situ was a great ambassador for sport.

She was also proud of Mpumelelo Mhlongo, Goldy Fuchs, Reinhardt Hamman and Justine Asher, who are participating in the Games for the first time.

“Zanele has represented South Africa at four Paralympic Games and won quite a number of medals in her disciplines,” Hamman said.

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