Paralympics bronze medallist Sheryl James receives hero’s welcome
A welcome-home ceremony was held for Sheryl James on the N1 in Louis Trichardt, with residents as well as Makhado Mayor Samuel Munyai in attendance.
LIMPOPO – A large group of supporters gathered in Louis Trichardt on Sunday as they welcomed Paralympics bronze medallist Sheryl James home.
James, who hails from Louis Trichardt, competed in the 400m T37 women’s event at the Tokyo Paralympic Games.
Read more: Paralympics: KG and Sheryl to fly the Limpopo flag
The T37 classification includes people who have coordination impairments such as hypertonia, ataxia and athetosis.
A welcome-home ceremony was held for James on the N1 next to the information centre in Louis Trichardt, with residents as well as Makhado Mayor Samuel Munyai in attendance.
James, or Takalani as she is known on the farm where she grew up in the Soutpansberg, was born with cerebral palsy due to a lack of oxygen at birth.
She suffers from hemiplegia with impaired muscle functionality on the right side of her body.
James attended mainstream schooling and participated in polocrosse against able-bodied riders for many years, where she obtained provincial colours.
She has run the Comrades Marathon three times, of which she completed it twice.
In 2010 she tried to become involved in disabled sport in the province but found no guidance or support in this field, and that is why she started to compete in ultra marathons.
James took up track athletics at the age of 32 when she joined IsAbility in Gauteng and was encouraged to start sprint training by club founder Johan Snyders.
Since 2018 she has been actively involved in the efforts of our own local Isability Club to get local para-athletes involved and able to participate in competitions.
As an ambassador for IsAbility, she was instrumental to get double amputee Vhutuhawe Nemutandani enrolled at a mainstream school, Emmanuel Christian School.
Vhutuhawe is a beneficiary of the Jumping Kids programme that helped to launch Ntando Mahlangu, who achieved a gold medal and a world record in Tokyo last week, in his career and his education.
There have been many challenges along the way, but James’ determination to make a difference has never failed and she is still determined to take some local athletes all the way to the next Paralympic Games.
Limpopo Sport Confederation president Ally Pole said James is not only a hero in Louis Trichardt, Limpopo and South Africa, but also recognised as a hero worldwide.
“Young people of our province must emulate what James has achieved,” he said.
Munyai said it was very exciting to be in the company of a world champion. “The Makhado Municipality is indeed a place of successful people. What you have achieved does not come cheaply, but through commitment. Your success is our success,” he added.
Munyai said the welcome event was a symbol of encouragement to the young people of the municipality, to refrain from engaging in criminal activities, drugs and alcohol abuse and follow in James’ footsteps.
In response, James said she was happy to see that she was not only appreciated internationally, but also in the area where she was born.
“I feel very honoured and I am happy for the support I receive from my home town. This is really an honour for me,” she said.
James has always wanted to get sport for disabled and able-bodied athletes developed in Limpopo and encouraged those who live with disabilities to ‘be courageous and never underestimate us’.
“Being disabled does not mean one should hide and not expose one’s talent. I’m so proud to represent Limpopo and South Africa at large. Louis Trichardt is the most beautiful town in the country and our beloved country is the most beautiful country in the world, so I am very privileged,” she concluded.
