After a couple of mishaps in the opening week of the Tokyo Paralympics, Team South Africa finally got on to the medal scoreboard on Saturday with a double gold in athletics.
First up was world star Anrune Weyers in the final of the women’s 400m T47 category.
The 2019 world champion claimed gold in a time of 56.05 seconds – improving on the silver medal she earned in the same race at Rio 2016.
Then it was time for Ntando Mahlangu to shine in the men’s T63 long jump final.
The 19-year-old was on fire from round one, producing a superb leap of 7.02m that placed him in second position, which was also a world record in the T61 category.
Mahlangu grabbed the gold medal in stunning fashion, leaping to another T61 world-record distance of 7.17m to beat German Leon Schafer into second place with 7.12m.
Both athletes will receive R450 000 from government for their gold medals, with Mahlangu getting a further R180 000 for breaking a world record.