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Montjane and Du Toit named flag bearers for the Paralympic Games

Montjane and Du Toit named flag bearers for the Paralympic Games

Para-athlete Charl du Toit and wheelchair tennis player Kgothatso Montjane are both competing in their third Paralympic Games, having represented the SA team at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Games.

South African wheelchair tennis ace Kgothatso ‘KG’ Montjane sealed her place in the singles final at Wimbledon with a victory over Japan’s Momoko Ohtani on July 9, 2021. Photo: @ TennisSA / Twitter

JOHANNESBURG – Charl du Toit and Kgothatso Montjane were named the two flag bearers of the SA team during the opening ceremony on Tuesday of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

The duo are part of a group of 34 athletes who will represent the country through seven sport codes from August 24 to September 5.

Para-athlete Du Toit and wheelchair tennis player Montjane are both competing in their third Paralympic Games, having represented the SA team at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Games.

Du Toit is the 100m world record holder and won two gold medals in Rio when he won the T37 titles in the 100m and 400m.

Meanwhile, the wheelchair tennis ace SA recently made Wimbledon history by being the first black South African woman to reach the final at Wimbledon while reaching the doubles final.

The number of selected athletes is lower than that of the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Games where South Africa sent 45 athletes in 10 sport codes.

The Rio team won 17 medals – seven gold, six silver and four bronze. The London team won 29 medals – eight gold, 12 silver and nine bronze.

At the Tokyo Games, there are 22 sports, with 4,400 athletes competing in different categories and classes depending on the nature of their disability. Badminton and taekwondo are appearing for the first time.

READ: Team SA names 34 para-athletes for Tokyo Paralympic Games

HOW ATHLETES ARE GROUPED

Athletes are grouped into categories based on their physical abilities and this is used to decide which athletes are eligible to compete in each of the sports.

The goal is to create a level playing field by grouping athletes into classes based on their ability to perform certain activities.

Classification provides a structure for Paralympic competition. Athletes who participate in para sports have a disability that results in a competitive disadvantage.

A system has been put in place to minimize the impact of impairments on athletic performance and to ensure that an athlete’s success is determined by skill, fitness, power, endurance, tactical ability and mental focus. This system is called classification.

Each para-athlete has undergone an assessment conducted by officials called “classifiers,” who are appointed by the international governing body for that particular sport.

The classification determines who is eligible to compete in a parasport, and it groups eligible athletes into sport classes based on their activity limitation in a certain sport.

At the Tokyo Paralympic Games, you will see athletes with physical, visual and / or intellectual impairments who have at least one of the following 10 eligible impairments: Reduced Muscle Power, Reduced Passive Range of Motion, Limb Impairment, Length Difference legs, short stature, muscle tension, uncoordinated movements, involuntary movements, visual impairment and intellectual disability.

Each sport has different physical demands and therefore sports classes are different for each sport. This means that a sport class does not necessarily include athletes with the same disability.

If different impairments result in limitations of similar activities, athletes with those impairments are permitted to compete together.

Some sports have only one sport class, for example powerlifting.

Meanwhile, athletics has 52 sport classes that include different disciplines – races, jumps, throws and the sport includes athletes from 10 eligible disabilities.

READ MORE: Tokyo Paralympic Games: SA Team Classifications Explained

TEAM SA PARA-ATHLETES:

ARCHERY

Shaun Anderson, Philip Coates-Palgrave.

Coach / Director: Barbara Manning.

PARACYCLING

Nicholas Pieter du Preez, Ernst van Dyk, Toni Mold.

Coaches / Management: Elrick Kulsen, Pieter Jansen, Gillian Evans, Walter Lutch.

EQUESTRIAN

Philippa Johnson-Dwyer, Cayla van der Walt.

Coaches / Management: Ingeborg Sanne, Chris Hazen, Robyn van Lijsdonk, Trisha Bell.

PARANATATION

Christian Sadie, Hendrik van der Merwe, Katherine Swanepoel, Alani Ferreira.

Coaches / Management: Theo Verster, Keith Jansen.

TABLE TENNIS

Théo Cogill.

Coach / Manager: Anver Lyners.

WHEELCHAIR TENNIS

Kgothatso Montjane, Mariska Venter, Eliphas Maripa, Leon Els.

Coaches / Management: Gerald Stoffberg, Saidi Moruame.

PARA-ATHLETICS
Ntando Mahlangu, Charl du Toit, Dyan Buis, Reinhardt Hamman, Kerwin Noemdo, Mpumelelo Mhlongo, Tebogo Mofokeng, Tyrone Pillay, Daniel du Plessis, Puseletso Michael Mabote, Ndodomzi Ntutu, Anrune Weyers, Sheryl James, Louane Promborize, Johanane , Liezel Gouws
Coaches / management: Cornelia (Lappies) Swanepoel, Suzanne Ferreira, Daniel Damon, Cathy Lansberg, Claus Kempen, Erasmus Badenhorst



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