Swimmer Terence Parkin leads Team SA at Deaflympics in Tokyo

Team South Africa (Team SA) is being represented by 14 athletes across four different sports at the 25th Summer Deaflympics in Tokyo, which takes place from November 15–26, 2025.

The four sports in which Team SA will be competing are athletics, golf, table tennis, and swimming.

Among the athletes flying the flag high is the decorated swimmer, Terence Parkin. The 45-year-old, who won a silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, has represented South Africa in Olympic and Deaflympics Games, as well as World Cup and Pan Pacific Competitions.

Parkin attended his first Deaflympics in 1997, before he was part of Team SA’s swimming squad at the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Olympics.

He holds the distinction of being the Deaflympics' most successful athlete since its inception in 1924, having participated in five Summer Deaflympics and also earning an Olympic Medal for the 200m breaststroke in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

The Deaflympics, which is essentially the Olympics for deaf people, were first held in Paris, France, in 1924.

The Tokyo 2025 Deaflympicswill mark the 100th anniversary commemorative Games and will be held in Japan for the first time.

Team SA is competing in their ninth Deaflympics since their first appearance in 1993 in Sofia, Bulgaria.

For the first time since 2013, table tennis returns to the Deaflympics stage for Team SA, thanks to the qualification of Sinovuyo Tyulu and Thabisa Qhude.

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Team SA Squad at Tokyo 2025:

ATHLETICS

Men: Ronnie Shabalala, Karabo Moeletsi, Aobakwe Mphahlele, Obaken Thlako 

Women: Nikysha Pieters

Coach: Jackson Malindi

GOLF

Men: Charles Williams

Women: Gail Klichowicz

Coach: Albertus Louw

TABLE TENNIS

Women: Sinovuyo Tyulu, Thabisa Qhude

Coach: Nicolene Goliath

SWIMMING

Men: Terence Parkin, Mark Roach, Amkele Qamarana, James Willers

Women: Kate Allwood

Coach: Candice McKenzie

Support staff

Men: Brian Mkhie, Amos Mashele

Women: Christili Muller, Katlego Moje, Innocentia Nyathi