Dimakatso Letageng started sprint as recently as 2018 and in 2019 the star went to National Championships “just for fun”.
The decision culminated in South Africa having a future medallist in the T44 and F44 categories on the big stages for Para-athletics. Passionate about the community and always eager to help the previously disadvantaged, her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work could not be more apt.
Living with a disability has not deterred Dimakatso’s reach for the stars. She qualified for the upcoming International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation in Portugal from 23-29 of November.
The Games are designed to give aspiring Paralympians and emerging athletes their first taste of an international competition. The Games have helped produce many of the world’s big name stars and Letageng, affectionately known as Dkay, hopes to one day be one of those names.
As it is the plight of a lot of athletes in South Africa, Dimakatso needs assistance to be able to attend these games. Lonwabo Nkohla sat down with her to find out more about this rising star.
Who is Dimakatso Letageng? Tell us a little about your background.
Dimakatso is a young beautiful lady who holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work as well as a community development worker for a faith based organization, the Roman Catholic Church. I am an athlete and a choral singer. My daily tasks include ensuring the promotion of human dignity in the community of Johannesburg and the general promotion of environmental and social justice. Mostly encourage people to care for their common homes and to embrace ecology.
What is your disability and if you don’t mind, kindly share with us how you became disabled.
Muscular joint skeletal. I had to go for an immediate operation when I was born, as I had a Keloid ball on my leg and was thenceforth called T44 and F44.
You compete in shot put, javelin and discus. Impressively “unconventional” disciplines. How did that come about?
I used to sprint in school but I started a career in javelin, shot put and discus recently, mid-2018. In 2019 I went to the nationals just to have fun, not knowing that there’s a target I should meet which is a world qualifying standard and record. After throwing my events I made world qualifying standards in shot put, javelin and discus. I was very shocked that on the notice it read “WQS” (World Qualifying Standard) and I didn’t understand that since the aim was to have fun. When I got home I did research about qualifying standards and records. I didn’t even know that there were world qualifying standards and that one day I would go international and represent SA.
What have been some of the challenges of being an athlete living with a disability?
Well, imbalance sometimes occurs during training but major challenges are sponsorship. You cannot be in a team for the Olympics or Commonwealth Games without doing international trips and getting international classification and world rankings. In order for one to be recognized and stand a chance to be in team SA, you have to hold an international license, international classification and world rankings, which is very difficult to obtain when you are from a disadvantaged background. There’s limitations in Parathletics if you do not have any international competitions and those international competitions are usually self-funded.
How do you overcome moments of doubt and fear in general and in competitions?
One of the rules is to stay calm, relax and take a deep breath while inviting the holy spirit in silence. Also, tell yourself “I am a winner”.
Share with us some of the highlights of your remarkable sporting career.
After I had just got into sports, obtaining a gold medal in javelin and a world qualifying standards in my first national performance. In fact, achieving all 4 medals on my first experience and doing world qualifying standards in three categories.
Magic wand at hand, what is your biggest wish and dream for athletes with disabilities?
The government to at least identify athletes who meet world qualifying standards and ensure that there’s a program that will ensure that they have international classification and world rankings. It’s very difficult if you are unable to self-fund international trips. It means your career is limited and you won’t progress to international trips regardless of the high performances you produce.
Growing up ekasi, what more do you think can be done to support young people in the community?
Annually create awareness on sports for communities. Establish or revive recreation centres within the communities to avoid community ills such as crime, teenage pregnancy, drug and substance and drug abuse, GBV and many other societal ills.
Funding is one of the biggest challenges for you even after doing so well – you’ve qualified for the IWAS, taking place later in the year, what is your appeal to corporate and anyone that can assist?
If we can come together and donate the little amounts we can. To actualize my dream. I am pleading with anyone, any little amount will make a huge difference..
Share with us some of your goals for the next few years. On and off the pitch.
To obtain a Master’s degree in community development. I’d like assist where I can and respond to the cries of the poor and being in the team that will represent SA in the world championships like the Commonwealth Games.
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