Based: Johannesburg / Cape Town
Mpumelelo Mhlongo (born 22 March 1994) is a South African sprint and long jump athlete and Paralympic Games record holder. Mhlongo won silver and bronze at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in the T44 men’s 100 metres and long Jump events.
Mlongo lives with constriction ring syndrom and a deformed clubfoot.
Track and field career
Mhlongo has represented South Africa at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics Games, where he broke the T44 200m World Record and set the T44 200m, 100m, and long jump Paralympic Games records. His first Paralympic appearance was at the Rio 2016 Paralympics Games. His other representation in major championships include three World Championships and one World Games, since his debut in 2015.
Mhlongo set his first ratified world record in 2019 at the Grosseto Grand Prix in the T44 Long Jump of 7.03m (+1.6 m/s), being the only T44 athlete to jump over the 7m mark. In the same year, he went on to win the silver and bronze medals in the 100m and long jump, respectively, another world record breaking performance.
Mhlongo has two training bases, the primary-one in Johannesburg, where he trains with Roger Haitengi and the secondary in Cape Town, where he trains with Jason Sewanyana
Mhlongo has been awarded the City of Cape Town and Western Cape Government Sportsman with a Disability in 2019, 2021, and 2022. In 2020, he was awarded the Western Cape Ministerial Commendation Award for his involvement in community programs that raised funds for the upliftment of disability sports in South Africa.