Wits para athlete Tumelo Letsogo bags silver at SA Tennis Championships
- Tshepiso Mametela
Wits University’s table tennis sensation Tumelo Letsogo (Bachelor of Accounting Science 足球竞彩app排名) backspinned his way to a silver medal at the 2022 SA Para Junior and Senior Table Tennis Championships in Bloemfontein as the national competition marked a comeback on 25 February 2022.
Intellectually impaired and disabled talent from across the nine provinces converged at the Tempe Military Base Indoor Sports Complex for three days of fierce competition which culminated after a years-long hiatus.
“I missed the tournament, to be honest. I last played in 2017 and it meant a lot for me to get back in the groove,” revealed the 22-year-old on reflection of his bronze medal finish during an inaugural appearance at the Free State Table Tennis Federation (FSTTF) tournament nine years ago.
“I’ve been going to the championships since then but didn't expect a silver on this occasion. I only hoped to stand on the podium for any medal,” added Letsogo, who despite his category 7 status in the classification system, knuckled down to play in a broader class on this occasion.
Athletes are classified based on their functional ability and how much their impairment impacts their performance in the sport.
Class 7 athletes have a severe impairment of the legs or the playing arm. When he was younger, Letsogo was diagnosed with a congenital deformity of the upper limbs.
He’s managed to beat the odds undeterred and has established himself as a formidable player. Competing under class 6 to 10 dedicated to Para athletes who play in a standing position, the accounting science student used his service shots to devastating effect.
But Letsogo’s efforts might have fallen short of notice as, by his own account, disabled sport does not receive enough coverage or endorsement from the wider South African public.
He, therefore, in his own way, hopes to help influence an improved reception to the parasport.
“In most cases, we only have one tournament annually. I want to influence many people, especially disabled athletes, to compete in sport. Mostly in table tennis, as it is still a developing discipline in SA,” he said.