French Open women’s wheelchair doubles champion, Kgothatso Montjane, received an unexpected and heartfelt welcome upon her arrival at OR Tambo International Airport on Wednesday, 21 June 2023.
The reception, attended by young schoolchildren from Ithembelihle LSEN School, left Montjane visibly moved, as she reunited with her manager, Emy Casaletti-Bwalya of Optimize Agency, and her dedicated team of personal sponsors, who played a vital role in realizing her Grand Slam dream.
Grateful and fighting back tears, Montjane expressed her appreciation to the media for their unwavering support throughout her journey: “I’m just happy you hung in there until this moment because I think this is a big moment. Thank you so much for following my journey even though we didn’t have so many stories to tell in the beginning.”
Overwhelmed by emotions, Montjane struggled to hold herself together as she extended her gratitude to her team at Optimize, acknowledging their unwavering belief in her abilities when others doubted her.
“I would like to thank my team at Optimize. You took me in while others sport agencies couldn’t see potential in me. You took me in, you protected me, and you continue to build me so thank you for bringing the best out of me. You continue to protect me and seek the best for me. You came into my life and my career and I started edging towards victory. I still believe we are going to win the singles Grand Slam.”
Casaletti-Bwalya, known for her relentless promotion of Montjane, emphasized the power of positivity that has propelled their journey since its inception.
“The keyword is positive and that’s the word that has kept us going from the start in 2018. We as a team were taken aback by her positivity. She was always positive, but she had this setback in terms of not being able to travel to improve her game because how do you improve your game sitting in South Africa.
“In order for her to travel and compete, she needed money, she needed sponsors, she needed help. So we embarked on a journey of positivity. We marketed KG as a potential champion. Our slogan was “Road to Number 1” And slowly but surely our sponsors bought in to our dream.”
The gsport Newsroom, joined by prominent media outlets including ENCA, Newzroom Afrika, News24, and Vision View, gathered at the airport to bridge the visibility gap and capture the moment when the French Open champion emerged. Social media exploded in celebration of this remarkable star.
While unable to attend in person, Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Zizi Kodwa, conveyed his support through a tweeted message: “Today, I couldn’t be at the airport due to early Cabinet commitments, unlike Monday night. Nonetheless, we celebrate KG and extend our heartfelt gratitude for her exceptional representation of our country.”
Kgothatso Montjane stands as the most celebrated athlete on the prestigious Momentum gsport Awards stage. With her recent triumphs, she emerges as a strong favorite for recognition at Africa’s longest-running women’s sport awards.
Remember to cast your nominations for #gsport18 at gsport.co.za/awards until August 9, 2023.
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