Swanepoel and Mhlongo named as Team SA's flag bearers for Paralympics

JOHANNESBURG – With the Paris Paralympic Games less than 50 days away, track athlete, Mpumelelo Mhlongo, and swimmer, Kat Swanepoel, were this week named as the flag bearers for Team South Africa.

Mhlongo is a T44 world record holder in the 100m, 200m, and long jump, a Paralympic Games record holder and the 2024 winner of Athletics South Africa’s Sportsman of the Year with a disability.

He won South Africa's first gold medal at the 2024 Para Athletics World Championships in Japan.

The 30-year-old dominated the T44 men's 100m race, coming first in a time of 11.34.

At the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships at the Charlety Stadium in Paris, Mhlongo also won SA's first gold medal in the T44 Men's 100m, in a time of 11.46. 

T44 is a disability sport classification for disability athletics, applying to single below-knee amputation or an athlete who can walk with moderately reduced function in one or both legs.

Meanwhile, Swanepoel competes in the SM5 200m Individual Medley, S5 50m backstroke, 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle, SB4 100m breaststroke, and S14 400m freestyle.

She bagged the country’s first medal at the Manchester 2023 Allianz Para Swimming World Championships and a silver medal in the women's 50m breaststroke SB3.

SB3 is for breaststroke swimmers with coordination affected to a low degree in the upper trunk and arms, with the rest of the trunk and legs highly affected, and those with an absence of limbs.

She has previously represented South Africa in both wheelchair rugby and wheelchair basketball. As a basketball player, she earned her South African colours, making it the first of the three sports she's participated in.

Swanepoel has represented South Africa at the Tokyo Paralympic Games. She also raked in medals and broke African records at the World Para Swimming Championships in Madeira, Portugal in June 2022.

READ: Rooskrantz, Simbine chosen as Team SA's flag bearers for Olympic Games

Mhlongo aims to step up at World Champs & secure 2024 Paralympic Games slot

Kat Swanepoel bags Team SA's 1st medal at the Para Swimming World Champs

TEAM SA’s PARALYMPIANS

On Monday, the South African Sports Confederation, Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SASCOC) announced an initial squad of 26 to represent Team South Africa.

The 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris will be staged from 28 August to 8 September.

The qualification windows is still open for a number of codes, including Para Athletics, Para Judo, Para Triathlon and Wheelchair Tennis, which means that more names will be added before the team departs for Paris in August.

ARCHERY (1)

Men: Shaun Anderson (W1)

Management: Barbara Manning

ATHLETICS (15)

Men: Mpumelelo Mhlongo (T44 100m and long jump), Kerwin Noemdo (F46 shot put), Puseletso Mabote (T63 100m and long jump), Collen Mahlalela (T47 400m), Khumo Pitso (T46 high jump), Jaco Smit (T12 100m), Daniel du Plessis (T62 400m), Hermanus Blom (F12 shot put), Erasmus Badenhorst (guide, 1500m), Claus Kempen (guide, marathon) Women: Simone Kruger (T38 discus), Sheryl James (T37 100m, 200m, 400m), Louzanne Coetzee (T11 1500m and marathon), Liezel Gouws (T37 200m and long jump), Yane van der Merwe (F44 discus)

Management: Lappies Swanepoel, Jason Sewanyana, Michael Louwrens, Daniel Damon

BOCCIA (2)

Men: Karabo Cassius Morapedi (BC3), Matobako Vincent Ramochela (BC3 ramp operator)

Women: Elanza Jordaan (BC3), Sandre Jordaan (BC3 ramp operator)

Management: Reinet Barnard, Marisa Potgieter

CYCLING (1)

Men: Pieter du Preez

Management: Mark Williams (mechanic), Ilse du Preez

EQUESTRIAN (1)

Women: Philippa Johnson-Dwyer, Christiaan Haazen (groom)

Manager: Ingeborg Sanne

SWIMMING (5)

Men: Nathan Hendricks (S13 200m individual medley, 100m backstroke, SB13 100m breaststroke), Christian Sadie (S7 50m butterfly, 100m backstroke, 50m freestyle, SM7 200m individual medley)

Women: Alani Ferreira (S12 400m freestyle, SB12 100m breaststroke, SM12 200m Individual Medley, S12-S13 100m butterfly), Danika Vyncke (SB13 100m breaststroke), Kat Swanepoel (SM5 200m Individual Medley, S5 50m backstroke, 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle, SB4 100m breaststroke, S14 400m freestyle)

Management: Theo Verster, Chad Peterson, Julayga Cassim

WHEELCHAIR TENNIS (1)

Men: Alwande Sikhosana