The University of Johannesburg (UJ) para-athlete, Yane van der Merwe, will represent the University’s Sports for Students with Disabilities Club in this year’s World Para Athletics Grand Prix. The Grand Prix competitions feature a series of para athletics events which will run from 12 February to 15 June 2024 with seven stops across four continents.
Van der Merwe will compete in the T44 class in discus and shotput on 12 and 13 February in Fazza.
“We wish Yane the very best in her competition this year. She represented the University and Team South Africa well in pervious championships, finishing in top ten positions in shotput and discus in the World Championships in Paris, France in July 2023. This will be her first time competing in the Para Grand Prix and we hope for a podium finish,” says Lezanne Bruwer, Manager: UJ SSD Club.
The Sports Science Master’s student is the UJ SSD Team Captain and the current African and South African record holder in the T44 discus throw with a 31.66m mark.
The 11th Grand Prix season will kick off and end in venues that hosted Para Athletics World Championships in the past in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Paris, France.
She also represented South Africa in the Commonwealth Games in Bermingham, England in 2022.
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