The traditional ceremony will precede the Games, with the competitions starting on Wednesday morning.

Team South Africa will be represented by 34 athletes and they will be competing in seven different sporting codes including athletics, swimming, cycling and wheelchair tennis.

The T11 athlete, Louzanne Coetzee, who will be in action on Sunday, told OFM Sport that they are just excited to get going.

“We are very excited", said the blind world record holder from the City of Roses.

“We are just super excited to start this journey and lay it all out on the track and on the road.

“We are very much looking forward to this opportunity and as I said, we are super excited.”

Coetzee will take the unusual approach of competing in the T11 1500m, while she will also be competing in the 42.2km marathon. Even in able bodied athletics it is highly uncommon for an athlete to compete in a track event and to take on a marathon.

Estean Badenhorst will be Coetzee’s guide in the 1500m and Claus Kempen will assist her during the marathon.

The opening ceremony will get underway at 13:00 on Tuesday afternoon.

@MorganPiek OFM Sport