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00:00Africa bagged 63 medals in the Tokyo Paralympic Games,
00:04but this time around, the continent's sporting elites
00:06are hoping to match or top the 97 medals
00:09its athletes bagged in Rio in 2016.
00:13Every year, the continent's para-athletes
00:15are carving out more space for themselves.
00:17The first African Para Games were held
00:20just last year in Ghana,
00:21and a record number of African athletes
00:24are now here for the Paralympics.
00:27And on the continent itself,
00:28top broadcasters are dedicating more hours
00:31of coverage of Para events than ever.
00:35Now, for the Paralympics, from Johannesburg,
00:37Bulelu Tinta joins me now with more.
00:40Bulelu, so you know the scene better than most.
00:43You've done your fair share of commenting
00:45for athletics and para-athletics in Africa.
00:48So for you, with your on-the-ground knowledge,
00:51who are the ones to watch?
00:54Well, I'm glad you mentioned that
00:55because there is one particular superstar.
00:57She's coming out of Mauritius
00:58and looking to make history for her country,
01:01Naomi Alphonse.
01:02I was fortunate enough to be on the finish line
01:05when she got a silver medal at Cape Town Marathon.
01:07In fact, she's a marathoner
01:09who's coming down to the track and is specializing
01:11and is the African record holder
01:13in the 100 to 100, 1,500, excuse me, distances.
01:18So that's 100, 400, and 1,500.
01:21That is where you can catch this young woman.
01:23And I'll tell you what, look out for her,
01:25not just to be an African star,
01:27because when we interviewed her in Cape Town,
01:29we said, this is a global star,
01:31incredibly presentable, bilingual,
01:34and then a dynamite of an athlete.
01:36So that young woman is one to watch.
01:38From my country, and I should be impartial,
01:41but Peter Dupriya.
01:42He wouldn't make you do that.
01:44No.
01:45Show your colors.
01:46No.
01:47No.
01:48No.
01:49It wouldn't be fair.
01:49I support from the heart.
01:51Peter Dupriya, there he is.
01:53This man won the H1 road cycling,
01:55which is the time trial in Tokyo.
01:57We really have our hopes sort of on his shoulders.
02:00And for me, I want to give you the character
02:03of the games to look out for.
02:04Not only is she the Commonwealth Games champion,
02:06she comes out of Nigeria,
02:08for Lashode, Oluwafemi Arnaud,
02:11for me is a woman that, just watch her character.
02:14So she is a heavyweight, 86 kg champion in Tokyo,
02:17gold medalist there.
02:19Watch her character because she is one
02:21who's a real, real star and a real, real character.
02:24Those three for me are the ones to watch.
02:26So those are the people.
02:27What about the places?
02:27What countries do you think are likely to put
02:30in the strongest showings during the Paralympics?
02:33Right.
02:33We'll start where I am here in South Africa.
02:35We've sent 36 strong.
02:37We're looking to sort of, remember,
02:39it's not just about how many medals you get.
02:41It's about how many gold medals you get.
02:43That makes you finish at the top.
02:44Last time we were tied first for that.
02:46Although obviously the Maghreb kind of dominated
02:49with Tunisia and Algeria.
02:52Algeria, we're getting 12 medals.
02:54So South Africa is the one threat.
02:55The other is the Algerians.
02:57They are just unstoppable.
02:59They were top of the table in terms of the African medals
03:02last time at the Paralympics.
03:04But I tell you this, I have it on good authority.
03:06Egypt was sending an incredibly strong team
03:10and they are backing their weightlifting
03:11to say we will break the deadlock
03:13that has been sort of Tunisia, Algeria in the Maghreb.
03:17They've really, really put a strong effort here.
03:20So look out for Egypt to be the dark horse,
03:22to be the most successful African team.