For any para-athlete to participate provincially, nationally or internationally, the athlete needs to be evaluated and classified into a category that enables the athlete to participate against similarly-abled athletes.   This classification is a scientific, time-consuming process and requires qualified, accredited medical and technical classifiers.

On 10 November 2018, having identified and made contact with various clubs and potential athletes at the Mass Participation Event, the local Is Ability team convened and funded a classification day in Louis Trichardt.  This enabled some of our local athletes who had never before had the opportunity to undergo official classification, to undergo classification under the expert eye of local physiotherapist and qualified International Para-athlete classifier, Louisa Kirsten, together with “imported” classifier from Gauteng, Charmaine de Bruyn.

Amongst others, double amputee, Vhutuhawe Nemutandani, who had recently received his “jumping Kids” prosthesis at the Mass Event, was able to start his journey of classification on 10 November.  Who knows…. Perhaps he is the country’s next Ntando Mahlangu – right here in our midst.

This classification day enabled some of our local athletes, who would otherwise not have been eligible, to attend and represent Limpopo Province at the SASAPD (South African Sport Association for Physically Disabled ), National championships in Stellenbosch in March 2019.