Ramaphosa makes surprise call to Paralympians Mahlangu, Weyers and Coetzee
Louzanne Coetzee won Team SA’s third medal of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics when she took the silver in the women’s 1500m final (T11).
Louzanne Coetzee and guide Estean Badenhorst won a silver medal in the (T11) 1500m race at the Tokyo Paralympics. Picture: @TeamSA2020.
JOHANNESBURG – President Cyril Ramaphosa made a surprise call to Team South Africa on Monday.
Ramaphosa congratulated gold medallists Ntando Mahlangu, Anrune Weyers and silver medallist Louzanne Coetzee.
I had to make time to congratulate #TeamSouthAfrica for flying the South African flag so high at the #Paralympics. Gold medallists Ntando and Anrune are joined by silver star Louzanne Coetzee who just gave us our 3rd medal. We are so proud of you! Best wishes to all our athletes. pic.twitter.com/7wUmsi5YwH
Cyril Ramaphosa #StaySafe (@CyrilRamaphosa) August 30, 2021
Coetzee won Team SA’s third medal of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics when she took the silver in the women’s 1500m final (T11). With her guide Estean Badenhorst, the 28-year-old had come into the race with the personal best of 4:49.24 achieved in qualifying.
Coetzee also clocked in a new African record 4:40.96, only two seconds off the old world record. That time was broken by gold medallist Monica Rodriguez Saavedra in the final, with a 4:37.40.
In Rio, Coetzee had been disqualified after a ruling that her guide had stepped in front of her.
“I have been competing for eight years and this is my first medal. I’m just overwhelmed. I couldn’t have asked for a better race, a better guide, better preparation, I’m just very thankful for how everything went down.”
Defending men’s 400m (T38) champion from Rio 2016, Dyan Buis, won his heat in a season’s best time on Monday.
From Bloemfontein to the #Tokyo2020 podium
@rogersedres #Paralympics pic.twitter.com/7RFkD3v82i
Team South Africa (@TeamSA2020) August 30, 2021
THE REST OF TEAM SA’S RESULTS
ARCHERY
Men’s Individual 1/8 elimination: Shaun Anderson lost to Helcio Luiz of Brazil, in a shootout (6-9) after the scores had been locked at 123-123 after five sets.
ATHLETICS
Women’s 1500m (T11), final: Louzanne Coetzee (guide Estean Badenhorst) took silver in a new African record 4:40.96.
Men’s 400m (T38), heats: Dyan Buis, the defending champion from Rio 2016, ran a season’s best 51.29sec and won his heat and qualifying for the final.
Men’s 100m (T64), final: Mpumelelo Mhlongo finished 5th in a new Paralympic record 11.03 (T44). Gold went to Germany’s Felix Streng in 10.76 Mhlongo holds the WR in the T44 category with 11.00.
Men’s 100m (T63), final: Puseletso Mabote finished 7th in 12.66sec. The winner Anton Prokhorov set a new WR 12.04
EQUESTRIAN
Dressage Individual Freestyle Test (Grade IV): Philippa Johnson-Dwyer finished eighth on Just In Time with 71,155 points.
WHEELCHAIR TENNIS
Wheelchair tennis – Women’s singles, 2nd round: No6 seed Kgothatso Montjane lost to China’s Ziying Wang 6-2, 6-3 in 1hr15min at Ariake Tennis Court
READ: Sport Minister congratulates Mahlangu, Weyers on gold medals
READ MORE: Team SA names 34 para-athletes for Tokyo paralympic games
ALSO READ: Tokyo Paralympics: team SA’s classifications explained
Archery, Athletics, Equestrian and Wheelchair Tennis all feature on #TeamSAs schedule for Day 6 of #Tokyo2020#Paralympics pic.twitter.com/UoB6y36d2J
Team South Africa (@TeamSA2020) August 29, 2021
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