Deaflympics Tokyo 2025 - Day 5 Update: A Full Day in the Pool and on the Field

21 November 2025 | Tokyo, Japan

It was another action-packed day for Team South Africa in Tokyo, as our athletes dove into swimming, sprinted down the track, took on the long jump pit, and battled it out on the golf course in the mixed team event. While we didn’t bag any medals today, there were moments of pride, progress, and perseverance from every member of our team.

SWIMMING

South Africa was well represented in the pool today across multiple events. Here’s how our swimmers performed:

• Kate Sarah Allwood had a packed schedule, taking on two events. In the 100 m Freestyle, she clocked a time of 1:10.23, placing 32nd. She also competed in the 50 m Breaststroke, finishing in 41.67 seconds.

• Mark Roach swam the 200 m Freestyle, recording a time of 2:00.51, placing 11th in his heat a commendable effort in a highly competitive field.

• James William Thusi Willers also competed in the 200 m Freestyle, finishing with a time of 2:22.90.

• The most anticipated performance of the day came from Terence Parkin, the legendary “Silent Torpedo.” Competing in his signature event, the 200 m Breaststroke, Terence advanced to the final after a solid heat swim of 2:26.76. In the final, he finished 6thoverall an incredible achievement for the most decorated Deaflympian of all time.

Spotlight on Terence Parkin

Terence is no stranger to the world stage. A silver medalist at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney and the record-holder for most Deaflympics medals in history, his legacy continues to inspire. Today, he showed yet again why he remains a legend not just in South Africa, but around the globe.

ATHLETICS

Our track and field athletes gave it their all at the Olympic Stadium:

• Nikysha Pieters, Obakeng Tlhako, and Karabo Moeletsi competed in the 200 m sprint, with strong efforts in each heat.

• In the Long Jump, Ronnie Doctor Shabalala registered a best leap of 6.03 m, placing 10th in Group A. It wasn’t enough to qualify, but a solid showing nonetheless.

GOLF

Today marked the Mixed Team Foursomes event at Wakasu Golf Links. Representing South Africa were Charles Williams and Gail Jean Klichowicz, who finished in 15th place with a score of +19 (91). The duo held their own in a challenging field, staying composed throughout the round.

Birthday Cheer in Tokyo

Today, we also celebrated the 22nd birthday of Amkele Qamaran, one of our swimmers. The team came together this morning to sing and share sweet treats in his honour. A moment of joy and unity that reminds us what the Deaflympics spirit is all about.

What’s Next – 22 November 2025

Tomorrow, it’s all about the pool again, with five events lined up for our swimmers:

• James Willers — 100 m Freestyle

• Mark Roach — 100 m Freestyle

• Kate Allwood — 100 m Breaststroke

• Amkele Qamaran — 50 m Breaststroke

• Terence Parkin — 50 m Breaststroke

The team is fired up and ready to close the week strong. We’re behind them all the way!