Team SA flag bearers for Paris 2024 Paralympics CONFIRMED

The Paris 2024 Paralympics will get underway on Wednesday, 28 August in the French capital.

For the latest Paris Paralympics 2024 news, bookmark The South African website’s dedicated section

They will conclude on 8 September.

For these Games there are a record number of countries competing (168), a record number of para-athletes (4 400), a record number of female athletes (1 983) and a record number of events for females (235).

South Africa will send a 28-strong contingent to this year’s Paralympics.

Flag-bearers for Team SA at Wednesday’s opening ceremony will be para-athlete Mpumelelo Mhlongo and para-swimmer Kat Swanepoel.

Full Team SA squad

ARCHERY

Men: Shaun Anderson (W1)

Management: Barbara Manning

ATHLETICS

Men: Mpumelelo Mhlongo (T44 100m and long jump), Kerwin Noemdo (F46 shot put), Puseletso Mabote (T63 100m and long jump), Collen Mahlalela (T47 400m), Khumo Pitso (T46 high jump), Jaco Smit (T12 100m), Daniel du Plessis (T62 400m), Hermanus Blom (F12 shot put), Erasmus Badenhorst (guide, 1500m), Claus Kempen (guide, marathon) and Paul Daniels (T22 400m)

Women: Simone Kruger (T38 discus), Sheryl James (T37 100m, 200m, 400m), Louzanne Coetzee (T11 1500m and marathon), Liezel Gouws (T37 400m and long jump), Yane van der Merwe (F44 discus) and Tezna Abrahams (T44 long jump and 200m)

Management: Lappies Swanepoel, Jason Sewanyana, Michael Louwrens and Daniel Damon

BOCCIA

Men: Karabo Cassius Morapedi (BC3) and Matobako Vincent Ramochela (BC3 ramp operator)

Women: Elanza Jordaan (BC3) and Sandre Jordaan (BC3 ramp operator)

Management: Reinet Barnard and Marisa Potgieter

CYCLING

Men: Pieter du Preez

Management: Mark Williams (mechanic) and Ilse du Preez

EQUESTRIAN

Women: Philippa Johnson-Dwyer and Christiaan Haazen (groom)

Manager: Ingeborg Sanne

JUDO

Men: Ndyeni Lamani (J1, under 73kg)

Management: Dirk Crafford

PARA-TRIATHLON

Women: Kirsty Weir

Management: Rohan Kennedy

SWIMMING

Men: Nathan Hendricks (S13 200m individual medley, 100m backstroke, SB13 100m breaststroke) and Christian Sadie (S7 50m butterfly, 100m backstroke, 50m freestyle, SM7 200m individual medley)

Women: Alani Ferreira (S12 400m freestyle, SB12 100m breaststroke, SM12 200m Individual Medley, S12-S13 100m butterfly), Danika Vyncke (SB13 100m breaststroke) and Kat Swanepoel (SM5 200m Individual Medley, S5 50m backstroke, 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle, SB4 100m breaststroke, S14 400m freestyle)

Management: Theo Verster, Chad Peterson and Julayga Cassim

WHEELCHAIR TENNIS

Men: Alwande Sikhosana, Donald Ramphadi and Lucas Sithole

Women: Kgothatso Montjane and Mariska Venter

Management: Genevieve Barnes and Patrick Selepe

About the South African Paris Paralympics 2024 flag bearers:

Mpumelelo Mhlongo

Paralympian Mpumelelo Mhlongo is a T44 100m sprinter and long jumper.

He was the winner of Athletics South Africa’s Sportsman of the Year 2024 with a Disability.

He won the men’s 100m T44 at the 2023 and 2024 Para Athletics World Championships, where he broke the T44 200m world record and set the T44 200m, 100m, and long jump Para Athletics Games records.

His aim is to beat his own world records in the 100m and long jump when he participates in the 2024 Paris Paralympics.

Kat Swanepoel

Swanepoel is a versatile swimmer competing in the SM5 200m Individual Medley, S5 50m backstroke, 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle, SB4 100m breaststroke, and S14 400m freestyle.

She first represented SA in Wheelchair Basketball and Wheelchair Rugby and received National Colours in Wheelchair Rugby.

She started her professional swimming career in 2019.

Some of her personal achievements include: finishing fourth in the S4 50m backstroke at the 2021 Tokyo Games by a margin of 0.5 seconds; winning silver in the SM4 150m Individual Medley and bronze in the S4 50m backstroke at the 2022 Madeira World Championships; and winning
gold in the SM4 150m Individual Medley, gold in the S4 50m backstroke, and silver in the SB3 50m breaststroke at the 2023 Manchester World Swimming Championships.

Swanepoel has been nominated twice for Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability at the SA Sports Awards in 2023 and 2024.