World No.1 Para-Athlete Collen Mahlalela celebrates as top nominee for Mpumalanga Sport Awards

Mahlalela has received two major nominations - Sport Star of the Year and People’s Choice Sport Star of the Year - ahead of the ceremony set to take place on 21 March at the Ridge Hotel, Emalahleni.

Speaking to SABC Sport, Mahlalela admitted he is competing in two highly competitive categories but believes success comes from challenging the very best.

“Firstly I’m feeling great. It shows that I’m being recognised in this sport and that I’m doing well. I will continue to push forward and remain consistent in my performances. Those are tough categories, but I always say that to be the best, you have to beat the best,” said Mahlalela.

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The 21-year-old athlete has maintained an impressive upward trajectory, recently winning gold in the 400m at the Dubai World Para Athletics Championships. He says the victory was an important early milestone and has set the tone for the rest of the season.

“It was a great honour for me to win this medal. I told myself I’m going for it no matter what. It was a tough race, but I remained focused and pushed until the end. I’m happy to have started the 2026 season on a high,” added Mahlalela.

Mahlalela says that he is now focused on qualifying for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, where he hopes to secure another podium finish.

“Hard work is key for me. Last year was a difficult year, but I managed to secure a podium finish at the World Para Athletics Championships in India and now I’m ranked number one in the world. Currently, I’m training very hard to qualify for the 2026 Commonwealth Games,” he expressed.