Kwa-Thema – Kwa-Thema Disability Club para-athlete Collen Mahlalela excelled at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2024 championships which took place in Dubai from February 12 to 15.
Mahlalela participated in long jump, where he came third, bagging a bronze medal, and also in a 400m run, where he came second, bagging silver. In terms of the run, Mahlalela blamed lack of experience which led him to bagging silver.
“When looking at the videos of the day, I realised I could have won. I had told myself that I would catch him at the last 100m only to have found that that was the last 100m,” he said.
He said he is however happy and hadn’t expected that he would do as well as he did.
“I’m used to competing within our SADC region, I never thought I’d bag medals on the international stage,” Mahlalela said.
He said he will one day be known as one of the best Paralympiads in South Africa.
He is not yet aware of the future international competitions he’ll be partaking in but he will be participating in the Toyota South African Sports Association for the Physically Disabled (SASAPD) National Championships from March 21 to 25 in Bloemfontein.
Mahlalela’s club coach, Aubrey Mathibela, said he has never been so proud.
“This shows that we are doing a good job as a team to be able to produce athletes who can take the world,” he said.
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