Mpumelelo Mhlongo says award nominations never lose their meaning

Mpumelelo Mhlongo has won the Sportsman of the Year with a Disability award in the past two editions, but the recognition remains meaningful to the 32-year-old. He is nominated again this year alongside Puseletso Mabote and Christian Sadie, with the ceremony scheduled for Sunday evening at Sun City in North West.

The three-time Paralympian said repeated success had not made the occasion routine. The presence of senior political figures, relatives, friends and athletes from different sports continues to make each nomination and victory significant for him.

Mhlongo believes Mabote’s inclusion is particularly encouraging after a season in which he devoted more attention to developing young athletes. He said sharing the category with an emerging athlete gave him greater satisfaction than another personal triumph, while also acknowledging that many deserving sportspeople were not nominated.

The KwaZulu-Natal-born athlete won gold at the Paris Paralympic Games and holds world records in the T44 100m, 200m and long jump. Recognition for those achievements remains a source of motivation whenever he competes on the track or in the sandpit.

Mhlongo has also stressed that his assessment of 2025 is not based only on the year’s results. He measures himself by sustained performance, and despite a quieter season, he remains unbeaten and ranked first in all his events. He combines his sporting career with full-time work at a corporate company.

His next major targets include the World Championships next year and the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games. Mhlongo sees his progress as part of a wider journey that includes inspiring younger athletes and continuing to develop through the sport, rather than as an achievement belonging only to him.