Rolling and rocking in face of adversity

DURING the 2000 Paralympics in Sydney, Andy Scott, widely regarded as South Africa’s “Mr Paralympics”, offered these words of wisdom: “The next group of Paralympians have not had their accidents yet.”

In February 2001, just a few months after the Sydney Paralympics had ended, Natalie du Toit had an accident while riding her scooter to school from training. She was just 17. She had swum as an able-bodied athlete at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur. Some suggest her loss of a limb was the making of her as an athlete.

Paralympic athletes thrive on setbacks, they overcome losses and weaknesses, they find ways around them, they become paths to turn their disabilities into strengths.

South Africa has been traditionally strong at the Paralympics. It is a nation that makes do with what it has, that smashes obstacles and never gives up the fight. In Sydney, Zanele Situ became the first black African woman to win gold at a major games.

The nation discovered new stars, learnt of the struggles and glories of another group of South Africans they had so often discarded. The disabled found a voice. They were treated shabbily by the national sports administration, ignored and given little cash. Yet, corporate South Africa flocked to them. They had a story to tell, they won medals by the bucketful. They limped, they rolled, they slurred, they flinched and they rocked. How they rocked.

Du Toit became a global superstar along with Oscar Pistorius, now a convicted murderer. Much of the world knew of South Africa through its disabled. It seemed fitting for a nation coming to terms with its itself, fighting its dysfunctionality and history. South Africa was a Paralympic superstar. Will they be so in Rio?

Well, Rio has slashed budgets for their Games, cutting back on transport and promises. It has had its Olympic party and spent too much money on it. The hangover will spill over to the Paralympics. Yet, we have superstars to celebrate.

Ernst van Dyk from Paarl and Hilton Langenhoven from Stellenbosch will shine. Some 29 medals are predicted. That may not happen, but the nation will learn and cheer, and we will roll and rock once again when they start on September 7.