GAUTENG – South Africa’s track and field Paralympic hopefuls are peaking at just the right time.
Three world records were surpassed at the TuksAthletics stadium on Saturday the 7th of March at an AGN league meet however the records won’t be ratified by World Para athletics.
Puseletso Mabote smashed the old T63 400m World Record time when he ran a blistering 1:04.65.
Mabote already owns the 200m world record in his class set at the 2019 World Para athletics junior championships.
Also, over one lap, T62 sprinter Daniel du Plessis (00:54.18) and Sheryl James in the F37 (01:04.48) ran personal bests.
In the field, F64 shot-putter Maria Combrink heaved 9.90m where the IPC world record mark is currently at 9.8 m. Combrink is aiming to go into double digits and “smash the 10m barrier at nationals”.
Simone Kruger showed she will continue her World Record throwing form of 2019 in the F38 class.
In her specialist event, the discus, she threw 34.36m. Almost half a metre better than the official world record which belongs to Kruger (33.91m). Kruger also threw beyond the African record in the shot put with an 11,24 m throw while F44 discus specialist, Mandilene Hoffman threw 30.86m which was better than the old African record.
The records will not be ratified due to the lack of doping control at the meeting.
Coach, Lappies Swanepoel says not all hope is lost, “The distances and times will be accepted for the world rankings which is good for the country as it could open up more slots at the Paralympic games for Team South Africa.”
The swimming and athletics competition at the upcoming Toyota National championships for the physically disabled is a sanctioned event by the relevant world bodies. The national championships take place from the 21st-25th of March in Port Elizabeth.
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