South Africa’s very own Ntando Mahlangu has earned the nation another gold medal at the World Para Athletics Champs, beating British Paralympic hero Richard Whitehead by split-seconds.
The nation is beaming with pride as Mahlangu achieved a time of 23.23 seconds in the T61 200 metre final, ahead of Whitehead who ran 23.82 seconds.
Mahlangu shared his pride in a Facebook post today saying, “An honor to stand tall beside Richard Whitehead (GBR) and Ali Lacin (GER) after last night’s T61 200m final. Thank you Mr. Whitehead for always supporting my journey and inspiring me to dream big!”
Mahlangu suffers from congenital hemimelia, a condition which caused his legs to be underdeveloped below the knees, leading to a double amputation later in his life. He was confined to a wheel chair for most of his childhood until about 10-years-old.
Non-profit organisation Jumping Kids helped him get a pair of running blades and since then Mahlangu has been charging forward, achieving his dreams one step at a time.
Mahlangu has since developed into a world-class Para Athlete, inspiring many through his continued efforts striving towards excellence and has truly shown the nation what is possible if you put your mind to it.
Watch Mahlangu’s stellar run here:
Pictures: Facebook
