Though there were some solid performances and a couple of consolation records, the SA team took a knock on the third day of competition at the Tokyo Paralympics on Friday.
Two of the nation’s track and field gold medallists at the 2016 Rio Games were unable to return to the podium, with sprinter Charl du Toit and javelin thrower Reinhardt Hamman missing out in their respective disciplines.
Hamman finished sixth in the T38 final with a 52.49m heave, in a competition won by Jose Lemos Rivas of Colombia who produced a 60.31m world record.
Du Toit, meanwhile settled for eighth place in the T37 100m final in 11.63 seconds.
American athlete Nick Mayhush won gold in a new world best (10.95).
While Hamman and Du Toit battled to find their best form, however, Sheryl James delivered some breakthrough results.
After finishing second in her T37 200m heat in an African record of 27.73, she went even quicker in the final, grabbing fourth spot in 27.57.
James was 0.23 outside a place on the podium, with Xiaoyan Wen of China scorching to victory in a world record of 26.58.
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Fellow sprinter Anrune Weyers coasted over the line in 57.59 to take second position in her T47 400m heat, booking her place in the medal contest on Saturday.
Jonathan Ntutu finished third in his T12 100m heat and did not progress to the final.
Elsewhere, in the swimming pool, Christian Sadie finished sixth in the men’s SM7 200m individual medley final in 2:35.94.
The race was won by Mark Malyar of Israel in 2:29.01, a new world record.
Alani Ferreira was 13th overall in the S13 400m freestyle heats in 5:02.42 and she was eliminated.
On court, the national wheelchair tennis contingent got off to a great start, winning all three of their matches.
Evans Maripa defeated Thomas Flax of Austria 6-2 6-2 in his first-round singles clash, and Leon Else fought back from a set down to defeat Brazil’s Gustavo Carneiro Silva 1-6 6-4 6-3.
Kgothatso Montjane and Mariska Venter beat Angelica Bernal and Johana Martinez of Colombia 6-1 6-1 in their opening women’s doubles fixture.
In archery, Shaun Anderson was seventh in the men’s W1 ranking round with a score of 637, and Philip Coates-Palgrave ended 36th in the men’s CMO ranking round (646).
Table tennis player Theo Cogill lost 3-0 to Mateo Boheas of France, as the South African ended the group stages without a win.
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