Paralympian Ntombizanele Zanele Situ has died at the age of 52.

Zanele Situ born Ntombizanele Situ died in November 2023.

Zanele Situ cause of death

Paralympian Ntombizanele Zanele Situ passed away at the age of . The cause of her death has not been publicly disclosed.

CEO of SASCOC, Nozipho Jafta says Zanele was a true hero: “She was faced with adversity and hardship early in her life and overcame it, reaching the very pinnacle of Paralympic sport.”

“She was a beacon of light, and hope, for all South Africans. I’m truly saddened by the news of her passing and wish her family and loved ones every source of strength and support at such a difficult time.”

The Chef de Mission at the Tokyo Games was Leon Fleiser, who is General Manager – High Performance at the South African Sports Confederation, Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SASCOC) called Situ a South African sporting legend.

“The news that Zanele has passed on is heart-breaking. We have lost a true icon of not only South African sport, but the Paralympic world has lost a legend,” said Fleiser. “I got to know her extremely well over the past 20 years or so and she was simply a delightful, kind person, who rose above unbelievable adversity to become the superstar that she was.

When is Zanele Situ funeral

As of now, the funeral date of the late Zanele Situ has not been disclosed by his family.

Having said that, we are still following up on his death, we will update you as soon as we get important information about Zanele Situ funeral service.

We understand the importance of providing timely updates to ensure that those who wish to honor and remember Bob Knight have the opportunity to do so.

Who was Zanele Situ?

Ntombizanele Situ better known as Zanele Situ, was a South African Paralympian athlete competing mainly in category F54 throwing events.

Specialising in the javelin throw, Situ is a two-time gold medalist at both the Paralympics and the IPC Athletics World Championships and is the first female South African black athlete to win a Paralympic gold medal.

Ntombizanele Situ was born in Kokstad, South Africa on 19 January 1971.

At the age of twelve she experienced weakness in her legs which resulted in an inability to walk.

Medical tests discovered a tuberculosis infection in her spine which resulted in Situ entering a two-year semi-coma, and was left with paralysis from the fourth vertebra down, leaving her requiring the use of a wheelchair.

After becoming disabled she was schooled at Mthatha.

Zanele Situ had an illustrious career in athletics, with numerous highlights:

International Debut: She made her international debut in 1998 at the IPC Athletics World Championships in Birmingham, England, where she won gold in the javelin and bronze in the discus throw.

Paralympic Games: She participated in six Paralympic Games from 2000 to 2020.

2000 Sydney Games: She became the first black South African to win Paralympic gold at the 2000 Sydney Games. She won a gold in the F52–54 javelin and a silver in the F51–54 discus.

2004 Athens Games: She successfully defended her javelin title at the 2004 Summer Paralympics. She was recognized by the International Paralympic Committee as the female athlete who best embodied the spirit of the Games when she was awarded the Whang Youn Dai Achievement Award.

World Championships: She was a two-time world javelin champion, and a four-time medallist after clinching two golds in the javelin in 2000 and 2004, silver in the discus in 2000, and bronze in the javelin in 2016.

Recognition: In 2003, she was recognized for her achievements by her country when she was awarded the Order of Ikhamanga (silver) for her contributions to sport.

Zanele Situ’s journey from adversity to Paralympic gold continues to inspire.

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