NTANDO MAHLANGU

Ntando Mahlangu  is a South African Paralympic athlete.  He won the gold medal in both the men’s long jump T63 and men’s 200 metres T61 events at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan. He won the silver medal in the men’s 200 metres T42 event at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He is also a two-time medalist at the World Para Athletics Championships.

Mahlangu was born with fibular hemimelia, which affected the development of both his legs below the knee. In 2012, it was decided to amputate both his legs at the knee.  Later that year he received his first set of blades. He attended primary school at Laerskool Constantiapark and high school at Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) in Pretoria. Early in his career, he competed as a T42-classified athlete. Mahlangu represented South Africa at the 2016 Summer Paralympics held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where he won the silver medal in the men’s 200 metres T42 event at the age of 14.

At the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in London, United Kingdom, he won the silver medal in the men’s 200 metres T42 event. He also competed in the men’s 100 metres T42 event where he did not advance to compete in the final. At the beginning of 2018, World Para Athletics implemented classification changes and, as of that year, he competes as a T61-classified athlete, a class specifically for athletes with double above the knee amputation.

At the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, he won the gold medal in the men’s 200 metres T61 event and he finished in 4th place in the men’s long jump T63 event. He qualified to represent South Africa at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan. In April 2021, Mahlangu set a new world record of 22.94 s in the men’s 200 metres T61 final at the 2021 Toyota South African Sports for the Physically Disabled National Championships in Gqeberha, South Africa.

Mahlangu won the gold medal in the men’s long jump T63 event at the 2020 Summer Paralympics held in Tokyo, Japan, in a world record jump of 7.17 m. He also won the gold medal in the men’s 200 metres T61 event.

In 2020, he starred in the documentary film Rising Phoenix.

damien willemse

Damian Willemse (is a South African rugby union player for the South Africa national team and the Stormers in Super Rugby and Western Province in the Currie Cup. His regular position is fly-half, but he can also play as a fullback or inside centre.

Damian Willemse made his international debut for South Africa in the 2018 Rugby Championship against Argentina at Kings Park Stadium in a 34-21 victory, coming off of the bench and substituting André Esterhuizen.

Willemse was not initially named in South Africa’s squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.  However he was called up to replace the injured Jesse Kriel in the pool stage. He also scored his first test try against Canada. South Africa went on to win the tournament, defeating England in the final.

Willemse was born in Strand. He attended and played rugby for Paul Roos Gymnasium in nearby Stellenbosch. In 2014, he was selected to represent Western Province at the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week held in Pretoria.  He started all three of their matches, helping them to three victories, scoring a try in the final match of the tournament, a 26–11 win over hosts the Blue Bulls.

GERALD STEYN

Gerald Steyn is a South African actor from Randburg, Gauteng who’s known for his breakthrough performance as Lourens le Riche on the M-Net (South Africa) mini-series, Trackers. The avid rugby supporter, music lover and film fanatic who graduated at the Indigo View Acting School, has since played in noticeable film and television productions that include KykNet’s recent adaptation of Fiela se Kind and the Showmax (South Africa) film, Meisies Wat Fluit.

As of 2021 he is set to feature as a lead in the M-Net mini-series, Lioness, the Showmax mini-series, Dam, and the M-Net/Fremantle(UK) co-produced mini-series, Reyka, set for release in July 2021. Gerald Steyn is a South African actor best known for his recurring role as Pine Pienaar on the kykNET soapie Getroud met Rugby: Die Sepie.

Having matriculated from Randburg High School in 2007, he studied for a law degree at the University of the Free State from 2008-2011, followed by an LLB from 2012-2013. His television debut came in 2017 when he was cast as Pine Pienaar in Getroud met Rugby: Die Sepie, making his first appearance on 20 February that year.In 2019 he made his feature film debut in the role of Willem van Rooyen in Fiela se Kind. He also appeared in the kykNET short film Binnelandse Sake. In the same year he landed the recurring role of truck driver Lourens le Riche in the M-Net drama miniseries Trackers, first appearing in the series premiere on 27 October, 2019. In 2020 he starred in the kykNET movie Meisies Wat Fluit.

The following year he played the role Anton Marais, the security detail responsible for the safety of Adrian Hugo’s wife and children who has a sinister ulterior motive, in the M-Net drama series Lioness.