THANDILE KONCO
CAPE TOWN - A paralympic athlete from Cape Town will be the first person from Bonteheuwel to qualify and compete in the upcoming 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo next month.
Table tennis champion Theo Cogill said that sports had always been a part of his life, and that he had been playing table tennis since he was 12, having found his love for the sport in local Bonteheuwel community centres.
The 34-year-old has represented South Africa on various platforms throughout his teen years, including representing South Africa in Egypt for the Junior African Championships where he won a bronze medal.
He made it onto the African team where he represented Africa at the World Cadet Challenge, where he was identified as a young talent which led him to obtain sponsorship for travelling, training camps and tournaments.
“This was a great time in my life, I started travelling to participate in African tournaments, Commonwealth Games, World Championships and African Singles Cup tournaments.”
Cogill said his life drastically changed in 2011 when he was involved in a huge accident where he was stabbed in the neck, spine and lower arms. His injuries were so severe that he had to be hospitalised for months, and was unable to walk for almost two years. Following his extensive injuries, Cogill contracted Brown-Séquard syndrome, a rare spinal disorder.
“I struggled regaining my sense of feeling again, but I never stopped, I came back and still tried to play. Once I started doing better, I kept going. I persisted with my training. I later went for tests and found out that I could qualify for Para Table Tennis which I took part in after my accident. I got the opportunity to go to Germany for the tournament and I did well. I won the Taiwan Open. I worked very hard to train my body,“ he said.
Cogill stated that having a good profile counted in his favour, and that good performance in past tournaments helped him to qualify for the Olympics. He said that he hoped his story would serve as an inspiration to others to never give up on their dreams.
“It’s the first time someone from Bonteheuwel has qualified for the Olympics. It’s a dream come true not, only for me, but for my entire community, my country and Table Tennis South Africa.
“In preparation for the Olympic Games, I train three times a week, two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon. I also coach children from different communities to keep them into the discipline of sport, and off the streets as Cape Town is flooded with drugs and gang activities,” he said.
Bonteheuwel ward councillor Angus McKenzie expressed his pride, and said that he was immensely proud and honoured to be associated with the first Bonteheuwel Olympian.
“Theo Cogill has proven himself over a consistent period of time to be a dedicated, committed and passionate community individual, added to that, he plays awesome table tennis which he learnt on the streets of Bonteheuwel in our community centres,” Mc Kenzie said.
He added that while Theo will be travelling in the Proteas tracksuit in a few weeks to come, he carries the hopes, dreams, aspirations and wishes of every single Bonteheuwel resident.