Team SA reach finals, but no medals yet in early stages of Paris Paralympics

Though they gained some momentum on Friday, Team SA remained without a medal in the early stages of the Paralympic Games, after struggling to put up a fight in finals on day two of competition in Paris.

On the track, experienced athlete Sheryl James settled for seventh place in the women’s T37 200m final.

The 38-year-old sprinter completed the half-lap race in 29.08 seconds, well off the pace of world record holder Wen Xiaoyan of China, who won gold in 25.86.

James, who earned bronze in the T37 400m event at the Tokyo Paralympics three years ago, is set to turn out again over both the 100m and 400m distances in the French capital. 

Earlier on the track on Friday, visually impaired sprinter Jaco Smit finished second in his T12 100m heat in 11.12 seconds, missing out on a place in the final by 0.11.

Hendricks consistent in the pool

In the swimming pool, 19-year-old Nathan Hendricks took seventh position in the men’s S13 100m backstroke final.

Hendricks, who was eighth in the 100m butterfly final the night before, touched the wall in 1:03.43 in the backstroke final over two lengths.

Up front, Belarusian swimmer Ihar Boki, competing as a neutral athlete, won gold in 56.60.

Hendricks is expected to turn out again in the 100m breaststroke, 200m individual medley and 400m freestyle events at the Paris Games.

Other sports

Elsewhere on Friday, Elanza Jordaan lost her second pool match of the boccia tournament, as she was handed a 4-2 defeat by Ana Costa of Portugal in the women’s individual BC3 competition.

Karabo Morapedi, who also lost his opener the day before, was set to compete in his second contest of the men’s BC3 competition later on Friday night.

On the wheelchair tennis court, Alwande Sikhosana recovered from an early rain disruption to win his first-round match of the men’s singles tournament.

Sikhosana defeated Gustavo Carneiro Silva of Brazil 6-4, 7-5 to progress to the next round.

The doubles pairings of Kgothatso Montjane and Mariska Venter (women), and Donald Ramphadi and Lucas Sithole (quad), were hoping to complete their first-round matches later in the evening session, with the schedule pushed back due to the weather.