SA Paralympian Puseletso Mabote delighted to be World Champion

Mabote equaled the World Champs record with a time of 12.03.

Team South Africa now has four medals with Simone Kruger clinching gold in the F38 discuss event and Sherryl James and Collen Mahlalela winning bronze in the T37 400m and T47 400m events respectively.

Speaking to SABC Sport, Mabote says this achievement is life changing for him.

"Being world champion this year has given me a sense of pride and a sense of contentness. I'm happy to be in the position that I'm in and glad to be in a position to be World Champion and I've been given a chance to compete at such a high level,” Mabote said. 

“Being world champion is almost as good as breaking a world record or just as good as breaking a world record. There's no greater feeling than that, knowing that you are the best in the world in that specific year and in that specific competition, proving yourself against the whole world is one of the best feelings in the world. 

“The only thing that can top that is doing it again and again, so, yeah, we are trying to figure out our next step and move on to our next venture."

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The 20-year-old had previously won silver in the same event at the World Championships in Kolbe, Japan in 2024.

Having equaled the World Championships record on Sunday, Mabote says he's truly honoured that it is now under his name.

"I don't think I broke the record, I think I tied the championship record because the time that I ran in the final was the time that was ran in last year's final at the World Championships in Kolbe,” he explained.

“So, I think they had  a little mix up with the records and everything but the championship record is in my name now and that gives me another sense of pride knowing that, okay, I'm in a position to have a championship record and I can defend that in the next upcoming World Championships. 

“I know that my name is edged into the history books and my name will pop up on the screen every time when they speak of the championship record. So, I will always be in the competition which is what we've always been looking for and we've been striving for."