Getting a taste of next year’s Olympic City, Paris is buzzing with South African pride as our athletes compete in the World Para Athletics Championships.
Paris, France (10 July, 2023)— Local athletes are feeling proudly South African in Paris as the World Para Athletics Championships sprint and jump into full swing. The World Championships began over the weekend and have already seen determined moments from the best-of-the-best para-athletes from SA, setting the tone for Paris in anticipation of the 2024 Paralympics.
This year’s Championships are particularly special because this is the first time the event has been held in the same city set to host the Paralympics. During the Championships’ stretch, athletes from around the world have the chance to qualify for the Big Games, making it a milestone achievement to have even been selected in the first place.
Coming in hot for the heats and meets, numerous para athletes are representing South Africa, including previous Paralympic gold medalist Pieter du Preez and speed icon Nododomzi Jonathan Ntutu.
While we still have a few days to go until the final starting pistols go off (the Championships end on 17 July), it’s a perfect time for South Africans to unite through what is arguably one of the most resilient showcases of sport!
As Nododomzi Ntutu recently shared with EWN, Para Athletics doesn’t always get the attention it deserves in South Africa. It’s not enough to be proud when the athletes bring home medals. We need to be rooting from the virtual sidelines wherever we can and let those proudly South African in Paris know we’re with them on the whole journey, not just at the finish line.
You can keep up with the daily events via Team SA’s social media and the World Para Athletics Championships’ pages.
by 