New Delhi, India – 2 October 2025
Team South Africa celebrated a second podium finish at the World Para Athletics Championships after Collen Mahlalela stormed to bronze in the men’s 400m T47 final on Day 6 of competition at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
Mahlalela delivered the performance of his career, clocking a personal best of 48.04 seconds in a fiercely contested race. Morocco’s Aymane El Haddaoui secured gold in 47.14, while Brazil’s Thomaz De Moraes edged ahead for silver in 47.90, leaving the South African sprinter to claim a well-deserved spot on the podium.
The bronze adds to Mahlalela’s growing reputation after he earlier qualified for the men’s 100m T47 final, where he finished 8th with a time of 11.21. His breakthrough in the 400m marks South Africa’s second medal of the championships, both of them bronze, after Sheryl James opened the tally with her podium finish in the women’s 400m T37 earlier in the week.
A Strong Campaign in Delhi
South Africa has sent a 15-strong team to New Delhi, where more than 100 nations are competing in what is already regarded as one of the most competitive editions of the championships. With seven days complete of the nine-day event, 56 countries have already secured medals, highlighting the global depth and intensity of para-athletics.
James, who clocked 1:06.21 to take bronze in the T37 400m, was joined in the final by compatriot Liezel Gouws, who finished 5th with a season’s best of 1:07.13. James also returned to the track in the 100m and she finished a strong fifth in the T37 final.
Other notable performances have included Puseletso Mabote’s African record leap of 7.01m in the men’s long jump T63, narrowly missing out on a medal, and Gouws’s busy campaign across both track and field disciplines.
Building Momentum
For Team South Africa, the two bronze medals so far reflect a solid showing at these championships, highlighting the steady progress of the squad. Mahlalela’s podium finish, achieved with a personal best, adds further encouragement to the team’s campaign and points to continued development in the sprints.
With two days of competition remaining, South Africa will aim to build on these performances. Athletes such as James, Mabote, and others still to compete provide opportunities for further representation on the track and in the field.
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