Where did South Africa finish in Paris 2024 Paralympics medal table?

South Africa finished in 46th place in the final medal table at the recently concluded Paris 2024 Paralympics in France.

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All told, 85 nations won at least one bronze medal.

Six medals won

South Africa left with six medals, comprising two golds and four bronzes.

China were by some distance to best-performing country once again in Paris, topping the medal table with 220 medals, made up of 94 golds, 76 silvers and 50 bronzes.

South Africa’s medals came via Mpumelelo Mhlongo who won a gold medal in the men’s 100m – T44 and a bronze medal in the 200m – T64.

Simone Kruger won South Africa’s other gold medal in the women’s discus – F38.

Bronze medals were also won by Louzanne Coetzee in the women’s 1 500m – T11, Pieter du Preez in the men’s H1 Individual Time Trial (hand cycling), while the wheelchair tennis pairing of Donald Ramphadi and Lucas Sithole teamed up to win bronze in the Quad Doubles.

Algeria (25th place) were the top African country with 11 medals (six golds, five bronzes), with Tunisia in 27th also with 11 medals (five gold, three silver, three bronze).

Morocco ended 31st with 15 medals (three gold, six silver, six bronze), while Nigeria were 40th with seven medals (two gold, three silver, two bronze).

Egypt finished 41st, also with seven medals (two gold, two silver, three bronze) with Ethiopia in 44th with three medals (two gold, one silver).

South Africa were next best from an African point of view.

Financial incentives

As a reminder, the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) confirmed that South Africa’s Paralympians would earn the same amount as their Olympic counterparts should the leave Paris with medals.

Those incentives were:

Gold medallists R400 000 and the coach R100 000
Silver medallists R200 000 and the coach R50 000
Bronze medallists R75 000 and the coach R25 000

In addition, guides will receive the same payout as coaches.

That means in terms of athletes’ money earned, Mpumelelo Mhlongo will pocket R475 000 while Simone Kruger will bank R400 000.

Louzanne Coetzee and Pieter du Preez will each earn R75 000 for their bronze medals, while it’s unclear how much Donald Ramphadi and Lucas Sithole will be paid, but it’s expected to be either R40 000 or R50 000 each.

By way of comparison, at the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021, South Africa finished in 34th place with four golds, one silver and two bronze medals.

As reported by The South African website, South Africa were represented by 28 athletes in nine different sports codes at this year’s Paraympics.

Team South Africa squad for Paris 2024 Paralympics

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 1 500m and marathon), Liezel Gouws (T37 200m and long jump) and Yane van der Merwe (F44 discus)

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