SOUTH Africa has had a dream start to the Special Olympics World Games, winning four gold, two silver and four bronze medals in Berlin.
Two athletes from the North West Kamogelo Moncho and Goitsemodimo Mosepele, were the first to win gold medals. Moncho came first in the 5000m race and Mosepele defeated all competition in the 25m Freestyle swimming event. Moncho won his second medal, achieving a bronze medal in the 1500m finals.
Two South African swimming stars, both from KwaZulu-Natal, won gold in their respective events. Cornelia Fowler won gold in the Open Water event and Melokuhle Dube blasted the opposition away in the 100m breaststroke final. Fowler is a double medalist. She won silver in the 800m final.
Wynand Swanepoel, from Gauteng, won Special Olympics South Africa’s second silver medal. He came second in the Bocce singles finals.
The two bronze medals came from two swimmers from KwaZulu-Natal. Bronwyn Ramathula came third in the breaststroke final and Jennifer Higgins won bronze in the 100 m butterfly event.
