Ricardi’s Road to the Paralympics

Every great dream starts with a single step.

For Ricardi Matthee, a 19-year-old visually impaired athlete from Mossel Bay, South Africa, that dream is crystal clear: to represent his country at the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.

Ricardi is not only a talented sportsman – he’s a true fighter. His journey has taken him across multiple sporting codes, where he has excelled and made South Africa proud:

🥋 National Blind Judo Champion
🏋️ South African junior powerlifting medalist
🏆 Western Cape Junior Powerlifting Champion
🏅 Curro Mossel Bay Sportsman of the Year – 5 times
🎖️ Nominated for Western Cape Sportsman of the Year with a Disability

And that’s just the beginning. Ricardi has also made his mark in athletics, becoming the SASAPD National Champion in 100m, 200m and Long Jump, and proudly winning gold for South Africa in the 100m T13 at the African Region 5 Games in Malawi.

🏆 His 2025 achievements speak for themselves:

Winelands Internati...