South Africa at the 2012 Summer Paralympics

South Africa competed at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London with a team of 62 athletes and finished 18th on the medal table.

South Africa at the 2012 Summer Paralympics
IPC code	RSA
NPC	South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee
Website	www.sascoc.co.za
in London
Competitors	62 in 7 sports
Flag bearer	Oscar Pistorius[1]
Officials	45
Medals Ranked 17th	Gold 8 Silver 12 Bronze 9 Total 29
Summer Paralympics appearances (overview)
1964 1968 1972 1976 1980–1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024

The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), which is the National Paralympic Committee of South Africa, announced a team of 62 competitors for the 2012 Paralympics on 20 June 2012. The team of 45 men and 17 women were accompanied by 45 managers, coaches and other support staff.^[2][3] SASCOC released the team's schedule on 17 August 2012.^[4]

In a surprise announcement in London on 8 September the South African Minister of Sport and Recreation Fikile Mbalula said that Paralympic medal winners and their coaches would receive the same performance bonuses that their Olympic counterparts were promised. The amounts initially promised were significantly lower. The minister said the original plan was discriminatory.^[5]

Medalists

Further information: 2012 Summer Paralympics medal table

The following South African competitors won medals at the games.

Medal Name Sport Event Date  Gold Natalie du Toit Swimming Women's 100 m butterfly S9 30 August  Bronze Hendri Herbst Swimming Men's 100 m freestyle S11 31 August  Bronze Achmat Hassiem Swimming Men's 100 m butterfly S10 1 September  Bronze Jonathan Ntutu Athletics Men's 100 m T13 1 September  Silver Tebogo Mokgalagadi Athletics Men's 100 m T35 1 September  Gold Charl Bouwer Swimming Men's 50 m freestyle S13 1 September  Silver Dyan Buis Athletics Men's 100 m T38 1 September  Bronze Anrune Liebenberg Athletics Women's 200 m T46 1 September  Silver Charl Bouwer Swimming Men's 100 m freestyle S13 2 September  Silver Oscar Pistorius Athletics Men's 200 m T44 2 September  Silver Charl Bouwer Swimming Men's 100 m backstroke S13 3 September  Bronze Union Sekailwe Athletics Men's 400 m T38 3 September  Bronze Michael Louwrens Athletics Men's shot put F57–58 4 September  Gold Natalie du Toit Swimming Women's 400 m freestyle S9 4 September  Bronze Shireen Sapiro Swimming Women's 100 m backstroke S10 4 September  Bronze Dyan Buis Athletics Men's long jump F37–38 5 September  Gold Oscar Pistorius Arnu Fourie Samkelo Radebe Zivan Smith Athletics 4 × 100 m relay T42–46 5 September  Gold Natalie du Toit Swimming Women's 200 m individual medley SM9 6 September  Silver Hilton Langenhoven Athletics Men's 400 m T12 6 September  Silver Ilse Hayes Athletics Women's 100 m T13 6 September  Bronze Arnu Fourie Athletics Men's 100 m T44 6 September  Silver Natalie du Toit Swimming Women's 100 m freestyle S9 7 September  Silver Ernst van Dyk Cycling Men's road race H4 7 September  Gold Ilse Hayes Athletics Women's long jump F13 7 September  Silver Dyan Buis Athletics Men's 200 m T38 8 September  Silver Kevin Paul Swimming Men's 100 m breaststroke SB9 8 September  Gold Fanie van der Merwe Athletics Men's 100 m T37 8 September  Silver Anrune Liebenberg Athletics Women's 400 m T46 8 September  Gold Oscar Pistorius Athletics Men's 400 m T44 8 September

Medals by sport Sport Total Swimming 4 4 3 11 Athletics 4 7 6 17 Cycling 0 1 0 1 Total 8 12 9 29 The team enters the stadium during the opening ceremony with Oscar Pistorius carrying the flag

Athletics

Main article: Athletics at the 2012 Summer Paralympics

South African track and field athletes won a combined 17 medals at the Games, four gold, seven silver and six bronze. Sprinter Oscar Pistorius, who carried the nation's flag at the opening ceremony,^[6] was the most successful South African athlete winning individual gold in the T44 400 metres, gold in the 4 × 100 metres relay T42–46, setting world records in both,^[7][8] and individual silver in the T44 200 metres. In the 200 metres event Pistorius set a new world record in his heat,^[9] but he was defeated in the final by Brazilian Alan Oliveira. After the race Pistorius raised an issue about the length of Oliveira's blades, he later apologised for the timing of his remarks, but not the content of his complaint.^[10] The IPC confirmed the length of Oliveira's blades were proportional to his body and legal, but expressed willingness to engage with Pistorius about the issue.^[11]

Key

• Note–Ranks given for preliminary rounds are within the athlete's heat only
• Q = Qualified for the next round
• q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or by position without achieving the qualifying target
• AF = African record
• NR = National record
• SB = Seasonal Best
• PB = Personal Best
• N/A = Round not applicable for the event
• Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round
• DNS = Did not start/Withdrawn

Men—track

Athlete	Events	Heat		Semifinal		Final
		Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank
Tshepo Bhebe	400 m T46	52.24	5	—		did not advance
Dyan Buis	100 m T38	—				11.11 AF
	200 m T38	22.57 AF	1 Q	—		22.51 AF
Andrea Dalle Ave	100 m T37	12.18 PB	=7	—		did not advance
Pieter du Preez	100 m T51	—				24.21	6
Charl du Toit	100 m T37	12.11	5	—		did not advance
	800 m T37	—				2:06.67	6
Arnu Fourie	100 m T44	11.29	1 Q	—		11.08 AF
	200 m T44	22.57 WR	2 Q	—		22.49 WR	4
Hilton Langenhoven	200 m T12	22.44 SB	1 Q	22.24 PB	1 Q	22.29	4
	400 m T12	49.86	1 Q	49.42 =PB	1 Q	49.04 PB
Teboho Mokgalagadi	100 m T35	13.07	2 Q	—		13.10
	200 m T35	27.37 PB	2 Q	—		27.02 PB	5
Jan Nehro (guide: Duane Fortuin)	5000 m T11	—				16:09.51 SB	6
Jonathan Ntutu	100 m T13	11.00 AF	1 Q	—		11.03
	200 m T13	22.40 AF	1 Q	—		22.37 AF	6
Oscar Pistorius	100 m T44	11.18 SB	1 Q	—		11.17	4
	200 m T44	21.30 WR	1 Q	—		21.52
	400 m T44	48.31 SB	1 Q	—		46.68 PR
Samkelo Radebe	100 m T46	11.53	6	—		did not advance
Union Sekailwe	200 m T38	24.01 PB	3 Q	—		23.66 PB	6
	400 m T38	53.28	3 Q	—		51.97 PB
Marius Stander	400 m T38	53.52	1 Q	—		53.62	6
Fanie van der Merwe	100 m T37	11.52 =WR	1 Q	—		11.51 WR
	200 m T37	23.83	2 Q	—		23.79	6
Oscar Pistorius Arnu Fourie Samkelo Radebe Zivan Smith	4 × 100 m relay T42–46	—				41.78 WR

Men—field

Athlete	Events	Result	Rank
Dyan Buis	Long jump F37–38	6.48 =WR
Andrea Dalle Ave	Long jump F37–38	6.02 AF	5
Michael Louwrens	Shot put F57–58	13.64
Casper Schutte	Javelin F42	48.12 AF	4
Union Sekailwe	Long jump F37–38	5.10	10
Duane Strydom	Discus F35–36	35.64	8

Women—track

Athlete	Events	Heat		Semifinal		Final
		Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank
Anrune Liebenberg	200 m T46	25.79 AF	2 Q	—		25.55 AF
	400 m T46	—				56.65 PB
Ilse Hayes	100 m T13;	12.63	2 Q	—		12.41
Anika Pretorius	100 m T13;	13.11 SB	3 Q	—		13.50	8

Women—field

Athlete	Events	Result	Rank
Ilse Hayes	Long jump F13	5.70
Zandile Nhlapo	Javelin F33–34&52-53	15.43 SB	8
	Shot put F32–34	6.41 SB	12
Anika Pretorius	Long jump F13	DNS
Zanele Situ	Javelin F54–56	16.22	4
Chenelle van Zyl	Discus F35–36	24.57	6
	Shot put F35–36	7.83	9

Management Team^[2]

• Manager: Dion Bishop
• Coaches: Suzanne Ferreira, Zelda Hansen, Hennie Koekemoer, Karin le Roux, Ampie Louw
• Team assistant: Neels Matthyser
• Helper: Illse du Preez.

Cycling

Main article: Cycling at the 2012 Summer Paralympics

Key

• DNF = Did not finish
• N/A = Round not applicable for the event

Road

Athlete	Event	Classification	Final
			Time	Rank
Roxanne Burns	Women's time trial	C4	32:39.24	6
Madre Carinus	Mixed road race	T1/2	1:00:00	10
	Mixed time trial	T1/2	16:54.16	12
Stuart McCreadie	Men's road race	H2	1:43:51	8
	Men's time trial	H2	29:03.51	7
Jaco Nel	Men's road race	C2	DNF
	Men's time trial	C2	28:12.44	14
Ernst van Dyk	Men's road race	H4	2:00:33
	Men's time trial	H4	26:35.95	5
Gerhard Viljoen	Mixed road race	T1/2	48:37	4
	Mixed time trial	T1/2	15:26.41	7

Track

Athlete	Event	Classification	Qualification		Final
			Time	Rank	Time	Rank
Roxanne Burns	Women's individual pursuit	C4	4:40.874	6	did not advance
	Women's time trial	C4/5	—		42.621	11
Jaco Nel	Men's individual pursuit	C2	4:12.794	10	did not advance
	Men's time trial	C1/2/3	—		1:12.405	11

Management team^[2]

• Manager: Mike Burns
• Coach: Ricky Kulsen
• Mechanic: Pieter Jansen.

Equestrian

Main article: Equestrian at the 2012 Summer Paralympics

A team of four represented South Africa in the equestrian competition, one man and three women,^[2] although Paralympic equestrian competition is not divided by gender. The competition consists of three dressage events, a championship test, a freestyle test and a team test. There are five competitor classes: Ia, Ib, II, III and IV, with Ia being the most and IV the least impaired.

Individual

Athlete	Horse	Event	Final
			Result	Rank
Anthony Dawson	Roffelaar	Individual championship test grade II	64.571	18
		Individual freestyle test grade II	63.450	16
Philipa Johnson	Lord Louis	Individual championship test grade IV	65.774	10
		Individual freestyle test grade IV	67.200	12
Marion Milne	Shadow	Individual championship test grade Ib	62.826	13
		Individual freestyle test grade Ib	63.550	13
Wendy Moller	First Lady Van Prins	Individual championship test grade II	66.000	15
		Individual freestyle test grade II	69.900	9

Team

Athlete	Horse	Event	Individual score			Total
			TT	CT	Total	Score	Rank
Anthony Dawson	See above	Team	62.143	64.571	126.714	387.972	14
Philipa Johnson			63.125	65.774	128.899*
Marion Milne			65.818	62.826	128.644*
Wendy Moller			64.429	66.000	130.429*

* Indicates the three best individual scores that count towards the team total.

Management team^[2]

• Manager: Tracey Cumming
• Coach: Chris Haazen
• Vet: Sheelagh Higgerty
• Grooms: Enoch Cele, Anton Chimbuanda, Elizabeth Newsome, Teri Smith

Rowing

Main article: Rowing at the 2012 Summer Paralympics

Qualification Key: FA=Final A (medal); FB=Final B (non-medal); R=Repechage

Athlete(s)	Event	Heats		Repechage		Final
		Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank
Sandra Khumalo	Women's single sculls	6:02.38	5	6:13.23	4 FB	6:18.88	2 B

Management^[2]

• Manager/coach: Marco Galeone

Swimming

Main article: Swimming at the 2012 Summer Paralympics

Natalie du Toit, a veteran of three Paralympics and one Olympics, announced her retirement from competitive swimming after this event.^[12] South Africa's first gold medal came from du Toit winning gold in the women's 100 m butterfly S9.^[13]

Key

• Note–Ranks given for preliminary rounds are within the athlete's heat only
• Q = Qualified for the next round
• q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or by position without achieving the qualifying target
• AF = African record
• NR = National record
• N/A = Round not applicable for the event
• Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round
• DNS = Did not start/Withdrawn

Men

Athlete	Event	Heat		Final
		Time	Rank	Time	Rank
Charl Bouwer	50 m freestyle S13	24.36 AF	2 Q	23.99 AF
	100 m freestyle S13	53.28 PB	1	52.97 AF
	400 m freestyle S13	4:17.74	1 Q	4:14.13	5
	100 m butterfly S13	59.03 AF	2 Q	59.39	7
	100 m backstroke S13	1:01.16	1 Q	59.92 AF
	200 m individual medley SM13	2:15.28	2 Q	2:14.71	4
Achmat Hassiem[14]	100 m freestyle S10	57.61	7	did not advance
	400 m freestyle S10	4:27.86	6	did not advance
	100 m butterfly S10	58.46 AF	2 Q	57.76 AF
Hendri Herbst	50 m freestyle S11	27.02 AF	2 Q	27.57	7
	100 m freestyle S11	59.64	1 Q	59.60
	400 m freestyle S11	5:08.87 AF	4 Q	4:59.51 AF	7
	100 m backstroke S11	1:14.76	5	did not advance
Kevin Paul	50 m freestyle S10	25.49 AF	4	did not advance
	100 m freestyle S10	55.55 AF	5	did not advance
	400 m freestyle S10	4:19.64 AF	3 Q	4:16.46 AF	7
	100 m breaststrokeSB9	1:06.21 PR	1 Q	1:05.70 AF
	200 m individual medley SM10	2:14.97 AF	1 Q	2:15.26	4
Tadhg Slattery	100 m breaststroke SB5	1:39.55	3 Q	1:39.16	5

Women

Athlete	Event	Heat		Final
		Time	Rank	Time	Rank
Renette Bloem	50 m freestyle S11	38.00 AF	7	did not advance
	100 m freestyle S11	1:25.72 AF	6	did not advance
	100 m breaststroke SB11	1:40.61	6	did not advance
	200 m individual medley SM11	3:37.13	5	did not advance
Natalie du Toit	50 m freestyle S9	30.16	3 Q	29.84	7
	100 m freestyle S9	1:02.95	1 Q	1:03.45
	400 m freestyle S9	4:32.59	1 Q	4:30.18
	100 m backstroke S9	1:12.52	2 Q	1:12.56	4
	100 m breaststroke SB8	1:30.24	4 Q	1:30.85	7
	100 m butterfly S9	1:09.94	1 Q	1:09.30
	200 m individual medley SM9	2:36.92	1 Q	2:34.22
Emily Gray	100 m freestyle S9	1:08.81	6	did not advance
	400 m freestyle S9	5:00.44	5 Q	4:59.77	7
	100 m backstroke S9	1:15.59	4 Q	1:16.65	7
	200 m individual medley SM9	2:54.03	6	did not advance
Marike Naudé[15]	50 m freestyle S13	32.07	7	did not advance
	100 m freestyle S13	1:11.45	7	did not advance
	100 m breaststroke SB13	1:46.57	7	did not advance
Shireen Sapiro	50 m freestyle S10	30.87 AF	5	did not advance
	100 m freestyle S10	1:07.42 AF	8	did not advance
	400 m freestyle S10	4:59.54 AF	4 Q	5:01.30	8
	100 m backstroke S10	1:09.46	1 Q	1:09.02 AF
	100 m butterfly S10	DNS		did not advance

Management team^[2]

• Manager: Queeneth Ndlovu
• Coach: Karoly Toros
• Coach/tapper: Karin Hugo
• Tapper/helper: Eeden Meyer

Wheelchair basketball

Main article: Wheelchair basketball at the 2012 Summer Paralympics

South Africa's men's wheelchair basketball team were in Group A with Australia, Italy, Spain, Turkey and the United States. Competing athletes are given an eight-level-score specific to wheelchair basketball, ranging from 0.5 to 4.5 with lower scores representing a higher degree of disability. The sum score of all players on the court cannot exceed 14.^[16]

Men's tournament

Main article: Wheelchair basketball at the 2012 Summer Paralympics – Men

Squad list (classification points)	Group stage[17]		Quarter-final	Semi-final	Final
	Opposition Result	Rank	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Rank
From: Justin Govender (1.0) Siphamandla Gumbi (2.5) Stuart Jellows (4.5) Kyle Louw (1.5) Luvuyo Mbande (3.5) Gift Mooketsi (2.5) Richard Nortje (4.5) Kobus Oeschger (2.5) Marius Papenfus (2.5) Marcus Retief (1.0) Samuel van Niekerk (2.5) Jaco Velloen (4.5)	Australia L 39–93	6	did not advance
	Spain L 50–74
	United States L 29–91
	Italy L 32–61
	Turkey L 54–79

Group stage

Team v t e	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
Australia	5	5	0	372	259	+113	10	Quarter-finals
Turkey	5	3	2	331	302	+29	8[a]
United States	5	3	2	330	259	+71	8[a]
Spain	5	3	2	322	292	+30	8[a]
Italy	5	1	4	260	309	−49	6	Eliminated
South Africa	5	0	5	204	398	−194	5

Source: ^{[citation needed]}
Rules for classification: 1) Table points, 2) Head-to-head score differential
Notes:

1. Head-to-head score differential: TUR: +6; USA: −1; ESP: −5

30 August 2012 20:45

Report

Australia	93–39	South Africa
Scoring by quarter: 27–16, 20–4, 26–10, 20–9
Pts: Eveson 21 Rebs: Eveson 7 Asts: Eveson, Norris 5		Pts: Nortje 14 Rebs: Nortje 10 Asts: three players 2

Basketball Arena, London Referees: Saskia Warmerdam (NED)

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31 August 2012 15:15

Report

South Africa	50–74	Spain
Scoring by quarter: 11–21, 13–20, 9–19, 17–14
Pts: Jellows, Nortje 11 Rebs: Nortje 9 Asts: Papenfus 5		Pts: Zarzuela Beltrán 24 Rebs: Zarzuela Beltrán 6 Asts: Muiño Gámez 7

North Greenwich Arena, London Referees: Karen Molina (COL)

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1 September 2012 13:00

Report

United States	91–29	South Africa
Scoring by quarter: 30–10, 25–4, 17–8, 19–7
Pts: Scott 21 Rebs: Hinze 11 Asts: Lade 5		Pts: Nortje 11 Rebs: Nortje 7 Asts: Papenfus 5

North Greenwich Arena, London Referees: Mauro Retiz (MEX)

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2 September 2012 13:00

Report

South Africa	32–61	Italy
Scoring by quarter: 12–13, 2–12, 13–12, 5–24
Pts: Nortje 15 Rebs: Mbande 7 Asts: Mbande 3		Pts: Cavagnini 33 Rebs: Cavagnini 17 Asts: Moukhariq 7

Basketball Arena, London Referees: Eisuke Kanno (JPN)

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3 September 2012 19:00

Report

Turkey	79–54	South Africa
Scoring by quarter: 18–10, 16–18, 20–12, 25–14
Pts: Gezinci 21 Rebs: Gezinci 9 Asts: Gümüş 5		Pts: Nortje 24 Rebs: Nortje 9 Asts: Papenfus 9

North Greenwich Arena, London Referees: Mati Quintana (ARG)

11th/12th place match

5 September 2012 8:30

Report

South Africa	36–83	Colombia
Scoring by quarter: 11–18, 7–19, 4–22, 14–24
Pts: Nortje 14 Rebs: Nortje 7 Asts: Nortje 4		Pts: Sanz Londoño 30 Rebs: Hawkins 16 Asts: Sanz Londoño 6

North Greenwich Arena, London Referees: Philip Haines (AUS)

Management team^[2]

• Manager: Willie Riechert
• Coach: Patrick Fick
• Assistant coach: Shadrack Moepeng
• Technical coach: Franck Belen

Wheelchair tennis

Main article: Wheelchair tennis at the 2012 Summer Paralympics

Athlete	Event	Round of 64	Round of 32	Round of 16	Quarter-final	Semi-final	Final
		Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Rank
Evans Maripa	Men's singles	Hamdan (IRI) W 2–1	Cattaneo (FRA) L 0–2	did not advance
Sydwell Mathonsi	Men's singles	Welch (USA) L 1–2	did not advance
Kgothatso Montjane	Women's singles	—	Ochoa Ribes (ESP) W 2–1	Griffioen (NED) L 0–2	did not advance
Lucas Sithole	Quad singles	—		Wagner (USA) L 0–2	did not advance
Evans Maripa Sydwell Mathonsi	Men's doubles	Denayer / Gerhard (BEL) L 0–2	did not advance

Management team^[2]

• Manager/coach: Holger Losch
• Assistant coach: Khotso Matshego.

General team management

The following people made-up the team's senior management:^[2]

• Chef de Mission: Pieter Badenhorst
• Project manager: Vinesh Maharaj
• Manager (logistics): Clifford Cobers
• Logistics: Madira Sehlapelo
• Manager (athletes services): Chantelle Jardim
• Athlete services: Dumisani Mtwa
• Chief medical officer: Wayne Derman
• Chief physiotherapist: Grace Hughes
• Doctor: Paul Maphoto
• Physiotherapists: Given Baloyi, Edwin Bodha, Greshne Davids, Shantal Edwards, Dan Ntseke, Evah Ramashala
• Classifier: Tarina van der Stockt

See also

• South Africa at the 2012 Summer Olympics
• South Africa at the Paralympics