It was joy and happiness at SASCOC house recently, when the Paralympic squad chosen to represent Team South Africa at the Paris Games was announced.
The Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, addressed the athletes on the day, and said, “You are the epitome of who we should be as South Africans. You have risen above your own circumstances; you are for all of us the greatest inspiration. I speak to many teams, but I want you to know that you are the greatest team I will ever address. I have no doubt in my mind that you will come back with gold – you are not going there to win because you have already won in your lives.”
“Looking at the announced Paralympic athletes, they have not let their circumstances define who they are, instead, they chose to rise above their challenges,” he said. The Minister also thanked sponsors including Bidvest, Mr Price Sports, Toyota and Citibank, acknowledging their contribution to the athletes’ success.
A visibly happy Khotso Mokoena, Athletes’ Commission Chairperson at SASCOC, had this to say on the sidelines, “The Bidvest OPEX programme has brought with it a lot of support for these athletes, including training camps, physiotherapy and mental health support, so it’s not just related to sports. Together we have opened doors for the athletes to prepare better and perform better.”
Your journey is nothing short of inspiring, considering your circumstances: Good Luck!