Denzel Mokone Has His Sights Set on the Paralympics

Photo Credit: SASAPD para-cycling

The 18-year-old Grade 12 learner made history as part of the first SASAPD para-cycling squad to compete at the CSA Youth Championships.

South Africa (09 October 2026) – Denzel Mokone has taken an important step towards his sporting dream, and the 18-year-old para-cyclist is aiming much higher.

The Grade 12 learner was part of the first SASAPD para-cycling squad to compete at the 2026 Cycling South Africa (CSA) Youth Championships, marking an important milestone for para-cycling in the country.

It was an opportunity to test himself against other young athletes, experience a new competitive environment and, most importantly, give it everything he had.

“I was very excited and nervous to compete. It was so cool seeing all the different athletes and the equipment,” he said.

Mokone lives with cerebral palsy and left-sided hemiplegia, a condition affecting movement and function on the left side of his body. His cycling journey began back in Grade 6, when he first got on a bike simply for the fun of it.

It wasn’t until Grade 10, however, that he started taking the sport more seriously and competed in his first national championships.

Since then, his progress has gathered momentum. His performances at the SASAPD National Championships in March 2026 earned him the opportunity to compete at the CSA Youth Championships and gave him another taste of what could lie ahead.

“My dream in sport is to one day compete at the Paralympics. I believe it is something I can achieve with enough hard work and dedication,” he said.

It’s an ambitious goal, but Mokone is approaching his future with a clear understanding that there’s more to life than the finish line.

While he is committed to developing as a cyclist, his education remains a priority. He hasn’t settled on a career just yet, but he knows what he wants to work towards.

“I want to graduate and work towards achieving financial independence and help support my family in the future.”

That determination extends beyond the classroom and the cycling track, too. When he’s not training or focusing on his studies, Mokone enjoys playing football with his friends and supporting his favourite team, Orlando Pirates. He also makes time to relax when he can.

For SASAPD, which works to develop sporting opportunities for athletes with disabilities, the participation of its first para-cycling squad at the Youth Championships represents another step towards creating more opportunities for young athletes to compete and grow.

Mokone’s next major target is the National Championships in Potchefstroom in 2027, where he’ll have another opportunity to build on the experience he gained this year.