What do you love most about sport and competing?
It gives me a platform to inspire other people, especially the youth. My ultimate goal is to change the world through inspiration.
What has been your biggest achievement to date?
Professionally it must be the two golds at Tokyo 2020, and personally my Matric certificate. I wrote matric in the same year as the Tokyo Paralympics. Academics and study are very important to me.
You had only six weeks to prepare for the long jump at Tokyo 2020 and you won gold!
[Traditionally a sprinter, Ntando had stopped competing in the long jump due to the back injuries it caused. When he decided to enter the discipline again, he had just six weeks of training before the Games.]
We kept the fact that I was going to compete in the long jump private. We knew that I would be the underdog in the event and that was great because nobody focused on me. Our strategy was to go big with the first jump and so I did. I think that mentally that had a big effect on my competitors and threw them off their strategies. After that first jump, I felt great and confident. It was a wonderful feeling!
What is your next goal?
The next goal is to get back into the international races and compete at the highest level with world-class performances. My long-term plans are definitely Paris 2024, and I’m starting to study. It is important to me that I get a further education.
What do you do in your downtime?
I like playing games, especially Xbox and, for the most part, I like being at home as I’m not a big traveller.
What does Toyota’s support mean to you?
It means the world to me! It is such an honour to have such a big and respected brand behind me. I hope that I make them proud and that I’ll keep on doing so in the future. My Toyota Cross Hybrid is next level! The technology and riding comfort is unbelievable. The Hybrid is also very light on fuel, which helps the budget. I love that when I drive under 40km/h it is all electrical and very silent. I don’t need to wake anyone in the house when I leave early for practice!
With thanks to Cronje Wentzel, Jan Grabie and Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool
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