Lucas Sithole lost 2–1 in sets to America’s David Wagner in a tantalisingly close bronze medal play-off match at the Rio 2016 Paralympics on 14 September.
The Westdene resident won the first set 6–1, but Wagner came back strong afterwards, winning the next two sets 6–2, 7–5.
Sithole went into the match as Wheelchair Tennis South Africa’s last hope for attaining a medal after a disappointing run, which saw Evans Maripa, also a Westdene resident, Leon Els and Kgothatso (KG) Montjane crash out in their singles events, and the men’s doubles event.
Sithole lost to Australia’s Dylan Alcott in the quads singles semi-final 6–0, 6–3 on 12 September, making bronze the only medal in reach for him.
When WTSA held a farewell brunch for the team in Westdene in August, Gauteng Premier, David Makhura said, “It is not a question of whether or not there will be medals, but what kind of medals [the team will win].”
It was at the brunch that Sithole said, “I only want to give my personal best and take the result I get.”
Makhura’s pressure on the players may or may not have had an impact on them, although he did add that they were already winners because of all the obstacles they have overcome in life.
“They have excelled more than able-bodied athletes because they overcame their challenges and still excelled to compete on the international stage. I only see success when I look at them.”
Yet when they played at Rio, South Africa’s number one men’s player, Maripa, crashed out in the men’s singles second round to Japan’s Miki Takuya 7–6 (1), 7–5. He and teammate Leon Els also lost in the second round of the men’s doubles against Argentina’s Gustavo Fernandez and Ledesma Agustin 7–5, 6–2. Els lost in the men’s singles first round to Hungary’s Roland Nemeth 6–3, 6–3.
Women’s player, and former Westdene resident, Montjane lost in the women’s singles second round to China’s Zhenzhen Zhu 6–4, 4–6, 7–5.
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