South Africa’s Paralympians shine in London

0
280

28 July 2015

Sunday, 26 July, was the United Kingdom’s annual National Paralympic Day, on which the achievements of the best athletes from across the globe were celebrated.

Participants in various sporting disciplines competed in front of an appreciative London crowd, evoking some of the enthusiasm created by the hugely successful Paralympic Games held in the British capital in 2012. But it was the action on the track that got the most vocal support.

South African athletes excelled well in a number of events, showing much promise for future Paralympic glory. Hilton Langenhoven finished second in his T11/12 200m sprint, while Jonathan Ntutu won the second race of the category with a time of 22.57. The T37/100m sprint earned South Africa a double, with Charl du Toit and Fanie van der Merwe finishing first and second, respectively.

Britain’s London 2012 superstars Georgina Hermitage and Sophie Hahn continue to be forces to be reckoned with in the sport, with both runners breaking their own world records on Sunday. Hermitage won the women’s 400m T37 race 0.22 seconds faster than her previous best. A new record for the women’s 100m T38 was set by Hahn in a time of 13.00.

The next Paralympic Games will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2016.

SAinfo reporter