Sadie edges closer in the pool, but no medals yet for Team SA

Though they broke multiple African records on Saturday, the South African team remained without a medal after three days of competition at the Paralympic Games in Paris.

Christian Sadie came closest thus far to ending the national squad’s medal drought, taking fifth place in the men’s SM7 200m individual medley final on Saturday night.

He gave himself some consolation, however, by setting a new African record of 2:35.02.

In other events in the pool on Saturday, 19-year-old Nathan Hendricks finished sixth in the men’s S13 400m freestyle final in 4:18.05, and Alani Ferreira was eighth in the women’s S13 400m freestyle, stopping the clock at 4:55.95 to break her own S12 African record.

Other sports

Earlier on Saturday, in athletics, Hermanus Blom finished 12th in the men’s F12 shot put final with a best attempt of 13.16m, also breaking the African record.

And in the women’s T64 long jump final, Tezna Kirstin Abrahams took 11th position, setting a new continental mark of 4.46m.

In the Boccia tournament, Elanza Jordaan and Karabo Morapedi lost their pool matches, and they both remained without a win after three days of competition in the individual BC3 division.

On the wheelchair tennis court, Mariska Venter, Donald Ramphadi and Lucas Sithole were defeated in their first-round singles contests, while Kgothatso Montjane withdrew ahead of her match.

Montjane pulled out of the Games for ‘personal reasons’, Team South Africa confirmed, which meant she would not pair up with Venter in their doubles quarterfinal scheduled to be played on Sunday.