Paralympic star Mpumelelo Mhlongo shifts focus away from competition

Mhlongo last year clinched gold in the 100m T44 and bronze in the men’s 200m T64, while also breaking the world record in the T44 long jump. 

Speaking to SABC Sport, Mhlongo says he’s shifted his focus to finishing his academics so he can build more on his career outside of sport.

"I know I've been so used to having to balance life, sports and school, as well as a professional career, but lately it's really been one-sided," Mhlongo said.

"I've taken a back seat when it comes to sports, so I'm living more of a duality in terms how do I up-skill myself in school and finishing off the academia I've started, as well as potentially pursuing other avenues of certificates to bolster the value I add in my work.

"So I'm just giving back that time to my professional career, with a lot less sports-centric [focus], a lot less training, and I think that's the fortune of having a four-year cycle.

"A lot of athlete will have to do the in-betweens, but because we're three Paralympic Games in, and a multitude of World Champs, unless there is a balance to the current setting, that doesn't mean I have to give up more than I have previously. 

"I need to really give time back to my professional life."

The Durban-born athlete says his only ambition for 2025 is to recover fully and qualify for the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow next year.

"I think this year I have the fortune of having no particular sporting ambition, other than walking away having fixed a lot of the injuries that I have created through the sort of training and trial and errors of preparations for the last decade," he added.

"Hopefully I end off the year strong and healthy, and maybe fast enough to do a World Indoor Championships in the 60m.

"Otherwise, if not, it will be a matter of seeing how far the body can take me through the year and what the European and SA season have in store for us next year."