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NTANDO Mahlangu took his first nervous steps on prosthetic legs less than four years ago, and this weekend, the double amputee won two medals in his age group at the able-bodied national athletics championships.
Competing in the under-16 category, 14-year-old Mahlangu clocked a blistering 50.08sec in the 400m, an unofficial disabled world record.
It does not count, however, because it was not achieved at a disabled competition, but that does not matter because he already owns the official world mark of 53.19, which he set at the recent South African disabled championships in Bloemfontein, where he won four gold medals.
Mahlangu, who also picked up gold in the medley relay with his able-bodied Gauteng North teammates at Germiston on Saturday, was born with a condition in terms of which the bones in his lower legs failed to form as they should have. He spent his early years in a wheelchair, dreaming of taking part in sports. His case was picked up by the Jumping Kids Prosthetics Fund charity and he underwent a double amputation from the knees at the age of 10.
He was fitted with artificial legs in September 2012.
"The first time I got my legs, I vomited because I was so scared," he said. "I remember my first step. They were holding me," he recalled, adding it took him "three to five days" to get comfortable.
Mahlangu also got blades, which are supposed to be used for running only, but he spends most of his time in them.
"I like running — which in those knee legs, you can’t do," said the Grade 7 pupil at Constantia Park junior school in Pretoria East. "I like to play hockey, soccer and run."
According to coach Cathy Landsberg, a physiotherapist, he has broken the occasional blade doing sport. "He’s quite an active boy — his blades take punishment, get broken now and then."
His prosthetics are frequently checked and adjusted as he grows. "When I was small, I always wanted to run," he said. "I had a role model, Oscar Pistorius."
His time this weekend would have been good enough for the T44-43 400m silver medal behind champion Pistorius at the 2012 London Paralympics, but his amputation, effectively above the knee, puts him into the T42 class, for which there is no 400m at the Paralympics.
He hopes to compete at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games in September in the 200m, where his 26.20 African record would have been good enough for sixth place four years ago.
With no knees, Mahlangu has to use his hips to propel his legs in an almost roundhouse motion.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Mahlangu overcomes hurdles to win gold
NTANDO Mahlangu took his first nervous steps on prosthetic legs less than four years ago, and this weekend, the double amputee won two medals in his age group at the able-bodied national athletics championships.
Competing in the under-16 category, 14-year-old Mahlangu clocked a blistering 50.08sec in the 400m, an unofficial disabled world record.
It does not count, however, because it was not achieved at a disabled competition, but that does not matter because he already owns the official world mark of 53.19, which he set at the recent South African disabled championships in Bloemfontein, where he won four gold medals.
Mahlangu, who also picked up gold in the medley relay with his able-bodied Gauteng North teammates at Germiston on Saturday, was born with a condition in terms of which the bones in his lower legs failed to form as they should have. He spent his early years in a wheelchair, dreaming of taking part in sports. His case was picked up by the Jumping Kids Prosthetics Fund charity and he underwent a double amputation from the knees at the age of 10.
He was fitted with artificial legs in September 2012.
"The first time I got my legs, I vomited because I was so scared," he said. "I remember my first step. They were holding me," he recalled, adding it took him "three to five days" to get comfortable.
Mahlangu also got blades, which are supposed to be used for running only, but he spends most of his time in them.
"I like running — which in those knee legs, you can’t do," said the Grade 7 pupil at Constantia Park junior school in Pretoria East. "I like to play hockey, soccer and run."
According to coach Cathy Landsberg, a physiotherapist, he has broken the occasional blade doing sport. "He’s quite an active boy — his blades take punishment, get broken now and then."
His prosthetics are frequently checked and adjusted as he grows. "When I was small, I always wanted to run," he said. "I had a role model, Oscar Pistorius."
His time this weekend would have been good enough for the T44-43 400m silver medal behind champion Pistorius at the 2012 London Paralympics, but his amputation, effectively above the knee, puts him into the T42 class, for which there is no 400m at the Paralympics.
He hopes to compete at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games in September in the 200m, where his 26.20 African record would have been good enough for sixth place four years ago.
With no knees, Mahlangu has to use his hips to propel his legs in an almost roundhouse motion.
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