Hopetown teen overcomes stroke to shine as multi sport para athlete

Hopetown’s very own Willene Wiid is an inspiring young athlete who has proven that no obstacle is too great to stand up to determination and faith. Born on 18 June 2010, the spirited 15-year-old has turned a life-changing setback into a story of perseverance and triumph, one that continues to inspire everyone who meets her.

A learner at Hopetown High School since Grade 1, Willene is currently writing exams and preparing to enter Grade 10 next year. Her school life is filled with enthusiasm and purpose, not just academically but in every field of sport she can take part in.

Her journey, however, began with immense challenge.

In January 2016, while on holiday with her family in Hartenbos, five-year-old Willene suffered a stroke that left the right side of her body paralysed. She had to relearn every basic skill: sitting, walking, talking, and even crawling. But through therapy, prayer, and the tireless support of teachers and her family, she defied the odds. Just a year later, in January 2017, she proudly walked into her Grade 1 classroom at Hopetown High, ready to take on the world again.

Since then, Willene has become known for her unbreakable spirit. She has continued to compete in every sport offered at school, refusing to let anything hold her back. “She knows the value of what so many of us take for granted: walking, jumping, laughing, and chatting, things she lost but was given a second chance at,” her mother, Emarrie, says.

That determination has carried her to the national stage. Earlier this year, Willene represented the Northern Cape provincial team at the 2025 Toyota National SASAPD Championships in Gqeberha. Competing in the girls’ under 17 athletics division, she took part in four field events – discus throw, shot-put, javelin, and long jump, and emerged with an astonishing five gold medals, two silvers, two South African records, and three personal bests across all her events.

'I am not disabled'

She did not stop there. Willene also competed in para cycling, where she set a new South African record in the 1,000 metre race and another personal best in the 3,000 metre event. She has recently begun competitive swimming, entering events alongside able bodied swimmers to sharpen her times and gain experience, claiming silver in the 50 metre breaststroke at her first national competition.

In November, at the FSSAPD Athletics and Cycling Meeting in Bloemfontein, Willene once again dominated, winning both discus and shot-put and taking first place in both para cycling races she entered.

Off the track, Willene’s life is filled with the same energy. She enjoys netball, tennis, and horse riding and even took part in the Muddy Princess obstacle challenge in Bloemfontein, where she tackled every muddy barrier with a grin.

But above all this, she is also active in her church, helping to lead praise and worship, and spends time with her friends like any other teenager.

Looking ahead, Willene's eyes are fixed on a new dream, the 2028 Paralympic Games. It is a goal that reflects the same courage and drive that carried her from learning how to walk again, to standing on podiums with gold around her neck.

Willene sums up her philosophy with a line that perfectly captures her outlook on life:

“I am not disabled; I am specially abled.”

In a world that often focuses on limitations, Willene Wiid reminds us that strength is not measured by what we cannot do, but by how far we go in spite of it.