deaflympics-tokyo-2025-day-7-recap-23-nov-2025

Tokyo Aquatics Centre & Komazawa Olympic Park Stadium

Today was a busy day for Team South Africa, with both swimming finals and the men’s 4×100m relay on the track. While the medals were elusive, our athletes delivered performances full of heart and teamwork.

Swimming

• Mark Roach reached the final of the Men’s 100m Freestyle and finished 7th with a time of 53.71 seconds.

• Kate Allwood competed in the Women’s 50m Freestyle heats and posted 32.49 seconds, placing 40th overall and did not advance to the final.

Athletics – Men’s 4×100m Relay

• The South African quartet of Obakeng Tlhako, Aobakwe Mphahlele, RonnieShabalala and Karabo Moeletsi lined up for their relay heat. Their recorded time was DQ (disqualified) due to a laneviolation in the changeover. While disappointing, the experience will prove valuable for future competitions.

Final Thoughts

Our swimmers continue to show progression on the international stage, Mark’s final appearance is a highlight, and Kate’s efforts in sprintfreestyle set her up well for future success. On the athletics side, while the relay result was not what we hoped for, the team remains unified, and the effort is there.

What’s Next – 24 November 2025

Team SA returns to the pool with the following schedule:

• Amkele Qamarana, Men’s 50 m Freestyle

• Mark Roach, Men’s 50 m Freestyle

• Kate Allwood, Women’s 200 m Breaststroke

• James Willers, Men’s 100 m Butterfly

Let’s keep backing our athletes as they push forward. 🇿🇦