Mpumelelo Mhlongo, a gold medallist at this year’s Paralympic Games, who paid a visit to his former high school Kearsney College on Wednesday, has described the profound impact that sport has had on his life.
Mhlongo, who won gold in the 100m T44 race, also brought home a bronze in the men’s T64 200m.
The 30-year-old from Klaarwater, outside Pinetown, was born with a congenital deformity that affected his right foot and his fingers.
Mhlongo, who matriculated in 2012, said sport had played a crucial role in shaping his life.
“The real essence of sport is that it allows you to unlock doors of opportunity that you would have not had.
Like using sport to get into Kearsney College, but pursuing academia.
“I went on and studied chemical engineering. I was not a professional sportsman but I used sports to get into a school framework that would support another part of my life.”
During his school years, he was head of his house, captain of the school’s second soccer team, and was also head of Kearsney’s acclaimed choir, leading them to a gold medal at the 2012 World Choir Games.
Mhlongo also shone academically achieving seven distinctions and being awarded Academic Honours cum laude.
Before the 2024 Paralympic Games, Mhlongo was already a world record holder in the T44 100m and 200m sprints and long jump, cementing his place among the best Paralympic athletes globally.
The sprint and long jump athlete said his mother’s love and support pushed him to succeed despite his disability.
“I always call my mother the protagonist of my childhood, because without her I would never be sitting in any room of significant importance. My mother tirelessly said this child who was born with a disability will be impumelelo (success).”
He added: “She poured all the love and support in this child to ensure that he never sits in a room and feels like he does not belong.”
Mhlongo said he feels connected to Kearsney College. “In Africa we say, ‘It takes a village to raise a child’, and Kearsney was that fundamental pillar that made me realise that when my aptitude meets capability and preparation, I can seize opportunities that I never necessarily planned for.”
After his stellar performances at the 2024 Paralympic Games, Mhlongo was named Athletics SA’s 2024 Sportsman of the Year with a Disability.
Beyond his athletic prowess, Mhlongo is fluent in six languages: English, isiZulu, isiXhosa, Afrikaans, French and Portuguese.
He said his advice for young people would be to focus on daily disciplines rather than distant, seemingly impossible dreams. He said small achievements build confidence and progress.
“I have two messages for young people. First is that comparison is a thief of all joy, so do not look at other people’s timing and assume that you should be matching where they are in life. Your timing is solely dependent on the effort, dedication and luck that your journey will have.
“Secondly, find something that truly energises you everyday. It is all about daily discipline.”
The Mercury