South Africa’s Simone Kruger has secured her place in the record books after a thrilling victory in the women’s F38 discus throw final at the Paralympic Games in Paris.
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The 19-year-old star threw an impressive 38.70 metres, winning the gold medal by just six centimetres in a nail-biting contest on Friday night.
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Kruger, already the reigning world champion, set a new Paralympic record with her third-round throw, fending off tough competition from China’s Li Yingli, who secured silver with a throw of 38.64 metres. Colombia’s Xiomara Hernandez took the bronze with a distance of 38.36 metres.
This victory marks South Africa’s second gold at the Paris Games and adds to the nation’s growing medal tally. Team SA now sits in 43rd position on the overall standings, with a total of five medals – two gold and three bronze.
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Meanwhile, it was a challenging night for other members of Team SA. In the men’s T62 400m final, Paul Daniels and Daniel du Plessis finished outside of the medal positions. Daniels set a personal best with a time of 50.63 seconds, earning him sixth place, while Du Plessis placed eighth in 52.91 seconds. The race was won by American Hunter Woodhall, who dominated the track with a time of 46.36 seconds.
Looking ahead, South Africa’s hopes for more medals to come, with Christian Sadie set to compete in the men’s 50m butterfly S7 heats today. This will be Sadie’s fourth final of the Games, following his strong performances earlier in the week. Additionally, Louzanne Coetzee will compete in the T12 marathon tomorrow, aiming to add another medal to her bronze from the T11 1,500m event.
As the Games near their conclusion, Team SA’s athletes continue to push for podium finishes, bringing pride to the nation.
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Feature Image: Getty
