Thando Hlatshwayo: A Paralympics prospect who loved to dance

1996-2016

THANDO Hlatshwayo, who has died in Paulpietersburg in Kwazulu-Natal at the age of 20, played wheelchair tennis for South Africa and was being prepared for the 2020 Paralympics.

She was the world No 2 junior player at the age of 18 and achieved a world ranking of 36th in the women’s singles. She was ranked 49th in the world in the women’s division at the time of her death.

The high point of her career was reaching the finals of the Airports Company South Africa Johannesburg Open, an International Tennis Federation level 3 event, at Ellis Park Tennis Stadium in December last year.

Her last tournament was in October this year, in Bloemfontein, where she won the doubles title and was runner-up in the singles.

Hlatshwayo was born in Dumbe, Paulpietersburg, on September 3 1996.

She was orphaned and she and her two siblings were raised by their grandparents.

She used her prize money from tennis and part of her disability grant to support her family.

She took up wheelchair tennis in 2009, played her first tournament in 2010 in East London and after just two years on the court represented South Africa in the ITF Junior Camp Mechelen in Belgium.

She went on to represent South Africa in Russia, Great Britain, Sri Lanka and, last year, Mauritius.

She moved to the Adelaide Tambo special needs school in Soweto in Grade 9 to further her tennis. She completed Grade 11 at the school this year.

She suffered from elephantiasis and her early school years were interrupted periodically when she had to go into hospital GROOMED FOR 2020: Thando Hlatshwayo in action against Christine Schoen of France in the women’s semifinals during the Acsa Johannesburg Open at Ellis Park Tennis Stadium on December 16 last year. Hlatshwayo reached the finals, her sporting high point

She used her prize money from tennis and part of her disability grant to support her family

for treatment including operations. Reserved but cheerful, often laughing and the soul of the party when she relaxed and let down her defences, Hlatshwayo could walk and even dance, which she loved, although with some difficulty.

The only time she used her wheelchair was when she was playing tennis. She had been identified as a future Paralympian prospect and was part of a squad that was being groomed for the 2020 Paralympics.

She died of cerebral meningitis in hospital in Paulpietersburg several days after complaining of a severe headache.

She is survived by her grandparents and siblings. — Chris Barron