SWANEPOEL Kat

Date of Birth: 5 Aug 1987

Age: 34

Gender: Female

Sport Class: SM4,S4

Place of residence : JOHANNESBURG

Residence Country:

South Africa

Events and Medals
Records
Schedule
Bio
General Interest
Milestones

Events and Medals

Discipline	Event	Rank	Medal
Swimming	Women's 50m Backstroke - S4	4
	Women's 150m Individual Medley - SM4

Schedule

Start Time	Location	Event	Status
	Tokyo Aquatics Centre	Women's 150m Individual Medley - SM4 Heat 1	Finished
	Tokyo Aquatics Centre	Women's 50m Backstroke - S4 Heat 1	Finished
	Tokyo Aquatics Centre	Women's 50m Backstroke - S4 Final	Finished

Biographical Information

Highlights

Kat (gogetfunding.com, 19 Feb 2020)

Occupation:

Occupational Therapist

Occupational Therapy - University of Pretoria, South Africa

Languages spoken:

Mandeville Para Swimming [South Africa]

Tadhg Slattery [personal], RSA

Other sports:

She has played wheelchair rugby for South Africa. She competed at the 2013 Asia-Oceania Championship in Pretoria, South Africa. (iwrf.com, 21 Nov 2013)

She took up swimming in 2019. (eNCA YouTube channel, 30 Apr 2021)

Having quit wheelchair basketball and rugby due to injury, she then decided to take up swimming. "My housemate is a sports physiotherapist who had travelled with the South African Para swimming team to the world championships. She phoned me from there and said, 'I have seen you swim in the gym, and I have seen these athletes swim. You have to swim'. I told her I was done with sport, and started swimming just to shut her up. But I grew to love it." (eNCA YouTube channel, 30 Apr 2021)

To compete at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. (Instagram profile, 15 Aug 2021)

Philosophy:

"When people ask me how to cope, I always answer that I try not to ruin what I have today by worrying about what might come tomorrow. It is important to me that today is enjoyed to the fullest." (rollinginspiration.co.za, 31 Aug 2017)

In 2021 she was named on South African newspaper the Mail & Guardian's 200 Young South Africans list. The list recognises talented South Africans in a variety of categories. (200youngsouthafricans.co.za, 24 Jun 2021)

General Interest

Classification
S4, SB3, SM4 (IPC, 18 Aug 2021)

Origin of Impairment
Acquired (rollinginspiration.co.za, 31 Aug 2017)

Impairment Details
She has primary progressive multiple sclerosis [PPMS]. She began experiencing PPMS symptoms during her final year of studying at the University of Pretoria in South Africa in 2008 which has resulted in paralysis from the chest down and severe weakness in her hands and upper limbs. "I started experiencing weakness in my legs, sensation loss and bladder problems. I was initially told that I had a degenerating demyelinating disease and that I would be paralysed in five years. Only when I experienced my first problems with vision loss was I diagnosed as having PPMS. I am blind in my left eye and have various other symptoms as a result of the damage throughout my nervous system." (rollinginspiration.co.za, 31 Aug 2017)

Social Media

Legend

:: Gold Medal Event
:: Silver Medal Event
:: Bronze Medal Event

Timing and scoring provided by OMEGA. Results powered by Atos