With the focus on women’s sport in South Africa, the hope is to provide greater opportunities for female athletes in the country.
Recently, all eyes were on the talented young discus thrower, Yané Van der Merwe, who won gold at the national championships for athletes with physical disabilities in Cape Town. Van der Merwe set a new South African record and also equalled the African record. There is great excitement about the future of Van der Merwe, who has a lower limb deficiency and participates in the F44 category.
This deficiency does not stop the young University of Johannesburg student from working hard to achieve her goals. Last month, she won gold at the national championships for athletes with disabilities; with a personal best throw of 31.66 meters.
That was a new national record and equalled the continent’s best throw. Competing at last year’s Commonwealth Games, where she finished fifth, has been the highlight of her career. But the sky is the limit, and the sights is set on the upcoming World Championships and the next two Paralympic Games.
“I definitely want to go to Paris next year. So, we have a world championship coming up in July. I’m really working hard to make the team for the world champs, and after that, Paris. Both are in Paris. It would be amazing to make the team.”
Van der Merwe, has welcomed the focus on women in South Africa’s sport this year. She says female athletes, especially athletes with disabilities, has many challenges to overcome.
“As a female athlete, only growing in the sport now and learning all the ways to get to the top. So, I can inspire the athletes below me who can see, she did it. I can also do it. To improve themselves and also get to the top. The World Para Athletics Championships gets underway on the 8th of July in the French capital, Paris.
Source: eNCA
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