Dylan Bettencourt
Ngemuva kokuwina izindondo ezimbili zegolide waphinde waqopha umlando e-Tokyo, uNtando Mahlangu usezakhele ikusasa elihle njengomsubathi waseNingizimu-Afrika.
UMahlangu uthole izindondo ezimbili ngesikhathi engenela umdlalo wabantu besilisa i-T61 kanye ne-long jump ye-T63.
Ngesikhathi eyongenela imidlalo yama-olimpiki yabantu abakhubazekile, abahlali baseNingizimu-Afrika bebengazi lutho ngoMahlangu, kodwa manje wonke umuntu ukhuluma ngaye njengoba igama lakhe seligcwele umhlaba wonke.
UMahlangu wazalwa ngonyaka wezi-2002 endaweni yasemakhaya e-Tweefontein esifundazweni saseMpumalanga, wazalwa enesifo esibizwa nge-fibular hemimelia esimenza engakwazi ukuhamba kwaphoqa ukuba aphile ngesihlalo esinamasondo ngemuva kokuxilongwa.
Ngemuva kokuba ayohlala ePitoli ngowezi-2012, uMahlangu ubenqunywe imilenze yakhe yombili kwasala amadolo, wase wathola uxhaso kwinhlangano ebizwa nge-jumping kids charity, bamnikelela ngezinyawo zokufakelwa.
Ngonyaka wezi-2016 uMahlangu wathola ithuba lokuya esikoleni samabanga aphezulu esibizwa nge-Afrikaanse Hoer Seunskool(Affries), esaziwa ngokuba umpetha kwezemidlalo.
Ngalowo nyaka wayeneminyaka eyi-15, uMahlangu wangenela umqhudelwano wokuqala wabantu abakhubazekile e-Rio, wawina indondo yesiliva kumdlalo wabantu besilisa we-200m T42. Akakaze ayeke ukudlala selokhu aqala.
“Imidlalo inginike umdlandla wokuzazi ukuthi ngingubani, futhi lokho kugqugquzela abaningi. Kungivulele iminyango eminingi. Okubalulekile kunakho konke ukuthi ngakwazi ukuya esikoleni” kusho uMahlangu ese-Tokyo.
UMahlangu owenza umatikuletsheni, angeke akwazi ukuba nesikhathi esiningi sokujabulela ukuwina kwakhe ngoba kumele alungiselele izivivinyo zakhe eziqala ngoLwesibili.
“Ngizokwazi ukuthatha isikhathi sokuphumula ngoZibandlela ngoba kumele ngilungiselele izivivinyo” kusho uMahlangu ohlezi ezihlekela.
Lo mfundi uthe uyathemba ukuthi umdlandla anawo uzowufaka nasezifundweni zakhe.
UMahlangu wahamba nezincwadi zakhe zesikole eya e-Tokyo ukuze aqhubeke nokulungiselela izivivinyo zakhe aphinde aziqeqeshe.
UMahlangu ufakwe kwidokhumenthari yaku-Netflix enesihloko esithi-Rising Phoenix, ekhuluma ngemidlalo yabantu abakhubazekile yama-olimpiki.
Umthombo wesithombe: @Paralympics