South Africa seems to be on a sport-high this year, with spectacular achievements at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships currently on in Dubai. Anrune Weyers won the women’s 400m T47, making the 27-year-old para-athlete the first South African to win a gold medal at the Championship on Sunday. She even set a new championship record time with a lightning fast 55.79 seconds for the event.
Weyers’ left arm is amputated above the elbow.
Racing with her married name on her bib, Anrune Weyers (Liebenberg) claimed T47 400m gold and later spoke with @stuartweir about her win and the support she has received #Dubai2019 pic.twitter.com/S5mdxvW1tr
— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) November 10, 2019
“Last year was really tough because of injuries. It has been a miracle to run here because I just had six weeks of training [after a surgery] so this is has been amazing. I’m really thankful to be injury-free and run,” Weyers told Goodthingsguy.
The victories don’t end there. Mpumelelo Mhlongo has broken his own world record in the 100m (T44 catergory) at the same Championship. Racing in the T64 event, Mhlongo shattered his own previous world record in the T44 catergory with a time of 11.09, according to Sport24.
Mhlongo was born with amniotic band syndrome which resulted in a right leg shorter than his left as well as a club foot. Although doctors told his mother he would never walk, he took his first tentative steps at the age of six.
Picture: Paralympics.org