PARALYMPICS 2024: ' I am a strong believer in prayer' - swimmer Christian Sadie
Sadie, who is competing at his second Paralympic Games has already competed in two finals.
Swimmer Christian Sadie is representing South Africa at the Paralympic Games. Picture: christian.sadie/ Instagram.
JOHANNESBURG – A strong believer in prayer and praising the Lord to help alleviate his anxiety ahead of competitions, South African swimmer Christian Sadie is among the athletes raising South Africa’s flag high in Paris.
“For the Paralympics, I would like to get a personal best in most of my races or to swim on them. I think overall, I would love a medal. Obviously, can't control that, sadly, since I can only control my own race, so personal bests would be amazing, or swimming on my personal bests” said Sadie.
Sadie competing at his second Paralympic Games has already competed in two finals: men’s SM7 200m individual medley final finishing fifth and setting a new African record of 2:35.02. And the S7 100m backstroke where he finished fifth.
“At the moment, I'm focusing on the 50m fly, which is on my last day, which is the 7th (September), but so far, the other two races have already gone well. I've swam on my PBs, and it’s been really good.”
S7 "is for swimmers with movement affected from a low to moderate level in the arms, trunk and legs, moderately down one side, those with short stature, or the absence of limbs."
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The Para- swimmer represented South Africa at the Tokyo Paralympics, won silver at the World Para Swimming Championships in Madeira, Portugal and also won silver at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast in 2018.
“Tokyo was super enjoyable even though there was COVID-19, it was an amazing place to be. The people were super friendly. But, yeah, I think maybe I was a bit young. I'm not young. I think I lacked experience but my second time around, I think I’m a lot more calm, and I feel really good about it. I think I know what to expect now.”
He tells Eyewitness News that he prepares mentally for races by replicating the competition, trying to place pressure on hitting certain targets that he wants to hit.
“You sort of set yourself up to be confident during your race with that. Otherwise, I think the thing that helps you most is prayer. Yeah, I am a strong believer in prayer and praise, praising the Lord. It's helped me with the anxiety I've had and calming my mind.”
He has radial club hands, meaning that his radius bone is either missing or underdeveloped and it causes his hands to be bent towards his body. In his case, it is missing, and this means he has shorter forearms.