The Paris Paralympics start today, 28 August, and South African athletes could earn thousands for winning a Gold, Silver or Bronze Medal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Paralympics in Paris are set to be the biggest in history, with a record of 168 countries and 4,400 para-athletes competing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Team SA has representatives across nine sporting codes at the 2024 Games. Para-athletes are placed into different events depending on their mobility, coordination, absence of limbs, or visual impairment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
South African para-athletes will be given the same incentives for winning a medal as their Olympic counterparts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Para-athletes that win gold will receive R400,000, while their coach receives R100,000<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Silver medallists and their coaches will be awarded R200,000 and R50,000, respectively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The bronze medal payouts will be R75,000 for the athlete and R25,000 for the coach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Given the unique nature of the Paralympics, guides for visually impaired athletes will also receive the same payouts as the coaches who earn a medal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Incentives will also be different for Boccia, a precision ball sport for neurological conditions related to cerebral palsy, where para-athletes will earn between R40,000 and R200,000 for a medal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Boccia coaches will earn between R20,000 and R100,000 for a medal as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Individuals<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Boccia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n How much is left in the pot <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The National Lotteries Commission granted Team SA an R39 million grant to allow the country to compete at the Olympics and Paralympics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The grant includes a bonus of R5 million for medal winners. <\/p>\n\n\n\n South Africa paid its Olympic medal-winning athletes and their coaches R2.1 million after getting one gold, three silvers and two bronzes in Paris. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Tatjana Smith and her coach, Rocco Meiring, received the largest chunk at R750,000 after winning gold and silver in the Women’s 100m and 200m breaststroke: <\/p>\n\n\n\n This leaves around R2,825,000 for South Africa’s Paralympic team for medals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Goals, South Africa won seven medals, which included four golds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, of South Africa’s Tokyo gold medal winners, only Pieter du Preez remains in the hand-cycling event. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking at South Africa’s medal prospects, sprinter Mpumelelo Mhlongo is running for a medal after winning the 100 meters at the Paris and Kobe World Championships in 2023 and 2024, respectively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Wheelchair tennis star Kgothatso Montjane is also touted for a potential podium finish after winning the Women’s Wheelchair Doubles at Wimbledon earlier this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/td> Gold<\/strong><\/mark><\/td> Silver<\/strong><\/mark><\/td> Bronze<\/strong><\/mark><\/td><\/tr> Athlete<\/strong><\/td> R400,000<\/td> R200,000<\/td> R75,000<\/td><\/tr> Coach<\/strong>\/Guide<\/strong><\/td> R100,000<\/td> R50,000<\/td> R25,000<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div> <\/td> Gold<\/strong><\/mark><\/td> Silver<\/strong><\/mark><\/td> Bronze<\/strong><\/mark><\/td><\/tr> Athlete<\/strong><\/td> R200,000 <\/td> R100,000<\/td> R40,000<\/td><\/tr> Coach<\/strong><\/td> R100,000<\/td> R50,000<\/td> R20,000<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Athlete<\/strong>\/Coach<\/strong><\/td> Sport<\/strong><\/td> Medal<\/strong><\/td> Prize<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> Tatjana Smith<\/td> Women’s 100m breaststroke<\/td> Gold<\/td> R400,000<\/td><\/tr> Rocco Meiring (Coach)<\/td> Women’s 100m breaststroke<\/td> Gold<\/td> R100,000<\/td><\/tr> Tatjana Smith<\/td> Women’s 200m breaststroke<\/td> Silver<\/td> R200,000<\/td><\/tr> Rocco Meiring (Coach)<\/td> Women’s 200m breaststroke<\/td> Silver<\/td> R50,000<\/td><\/tr> Jo-Ane van Dyk<\/td> Women’s javelin<\/td> Silver<\/td> R200,000<\/td><\/tr> Terseus Liebenberg (Coach)<\/td> Women’s javelin<\/td> Silver<\/td> R50,000<\/td><\/tr> Relay Team (4 Members)<\/td> Men’s 4x100m Relay<\/td> Silver<\/td> R300,000 (Total)<\/td><\/tr> Paul Gorries (Coach)<\/td> Men’s 4x100m Relay<\/td> Silver<\/td> R75,000<\/td><\/tr> Sevens Team (13 Members)<\/td> Rugby Sevens<\/td> Bronze<\/td> R650,000 (Total)<\/td><\/tr> Philip Snyman (Coach)<\/td> Rugby Sevens<\/td> Bronze<\/td> R50,000<\/td><\/tr> Alan Hatherly<\/td> Men’s Cross-Country Cycling<\/td> Bronze<\/td> R75,000<\/td><\/tr> Phil Dixon (Coach)<\/td> Men’s Cross-Country Cycling<\/td> Bronze<\/td> R25,000<\/td><\/tr> Total<\/strong><\/td> – <\/td> – <\/td> R2,175,000<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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