Paralympian Tyrone Pillay announces retirement puts down his shot put ball
The Paralympian had hoped to retire after the Paris games but did not make the team.
South African shot-put athlete Tyrone Pillay. Picture: ChatSapphire/Facebook.
JOHANNESBURG - Paralympian Tyrone Pillay posted his retirement from para-sport after 15 years of competing at the highest level.
The Paralympian had hoped to retire after the Paris Games but did not make the team.
“The time has come to say goodbye. Deeply saddened by the fact that I can’t be included in team South Africa for the Paris Paralympics. Was meant to be my 3rd & final games for team South Africa but it wasn't meant to be” posted Pillay on Facebook.
The Rio Paralympics bronze medallist expressed his disappointment as he pulls the curtain on his sporting career.
“I feel a lot of disappointment and sadness, but I also feel I have given my all for the last 15 years and sometimes in life we don’t always have the fairytale ending that we want or expect. I always dreamt of competing for my country from the time I was 3 years old and it’s all I ever wanted to do, so I got to live out my dreams and along the way I got to inspire and motivate others to believe in themselves and achieve anything that you deem impossible. Thanks for always supporting me and believing in me and taking this amazing journey with me” posted Pillay on Facebook.
Pillay retires after 15 years of competing at the highest level, he represented South Africa at five world championships and two Paralympics: Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
The Paralympian was born with a deformed left leg, has been competing in the F42 category in shot-put events, which caters for above-the-knee amputees.
Pillay’s international competition debut was in 2011 at the Sharjah Para Athletics Championships where he finished 4th.
