About Ntando Mahlangu – a name to remember!
It takes special qualities to become a great athlete: a passion for the sport; a commitment to an unrelenting training regimen, self-sacrifice, a measure of natural ability, and of course – perseverance. These are just some of the qualities that have propelled Toyota brand ambassador Ntando Mahlangu into the ranks of the world’s top young sporting stars.
Born in 2002 in the rural area of KwaMhlanga, Mpumalanga, Ntando was diagnosed with fibular hemimelia (the absence or shortening of the long bone in the legs), which meant his legs didn’t fully develop below the knees. As a result, he spent much of his childhood in a wheelchair.
Then, in 2012, he underwent an operation to amputate both his legs at the knee. Far from being daunted, in September that year Ntando, a learner at Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (affectionately known as “Affies”), received his first set of blades through the South African Charity Jumping Kids, which supplies young amputees with prosthetics.
Ntando’s life was abruptly and fortuitously changed – he now had a new pastime and a new focus – his passion for athletics. Ntando has an ever-lengthening list of achievements and awards under his name since he started competing.
In recognition of his achievements and his commitment to inspiring other youngsters, Toyota South Africa Motors is proud to support and work with Ntando as its appointed sporting brand ambassador.
Toyota’s Para-Sports Commitment
Glenn Crompton, Vice President of Marketing at Toyota South Africa Motors, says that the company is especially proud of Ntando. “At Toyota, we believe that movement and mobility are all around us. Sport has the power to connect people. This is where we learn the true power of sport – it can challenge us, inspire us and, most importantly, unify us,” he says. As the Worldwide Official Mobility Partner of the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee, Toyota shares the vision to inspire people to push onward – past their finish line, past their impossible.
As humble as he is determined, Ntando says: “It is an honour to feature alongside some of the best para athletes in the world.”
Be sure to catch Ntando’s feature and story on Nexflix’s ‘Rising Phoenix’.
Viewers and fans can catch the trailer on Youtube below to learn more about what the movie is all about, and get to know more a little more about their favourite athletes.
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