The dust has finally settled following the 2016 Rio Olympics, and there was no shortage of inspirational stories for everyone to gobble up.

Wayde and THAT run (and his R10 million watch), the prestigious Pierre de Coubertin medal being awarded for only the 17th time in history (HERE), our long jump silver medallist who was once a tik addict (HERE) – the Olympics always deliver.

For a trip down memory lane also take a gander at the BBC’s video summary, it’s quite the peach (HERE).

But now we’re looking forward, focusing on our Paralympic team over in Rio. In 2012 we managed a massive 29 medals, and now the Daily Vox have written a great piece on six of our women set to bring home the goods this time around.

It seems with these ladies inspiration comes standard so let’s get stuck in:

1. Kgothatso (KG) Montjane

KG will be competing in the para-wheelchair tennis section for Team SA at Rio 2016. She is ranked 5th in the world and has 29 singles titles to her name…

She was one of the Mail and Guardian’s Top 200 young South Africans in 2012, and was also the first African wheelchair tennis player to qualify for the prestigious NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters and Invacare Doubles Masters in 2011. Montjane was born with a congenital deformity of her leg and hands. Her other foot was amputated when she was just 12 years old.

2. Philippa Johnson

Johnson will be representing South Africa in the equestrian section of the Games. She won gold at the 2008 Beijing Games in the individual championship and freestyle test, but did not win any medals in 2012.

Johnson was involved in a car accident which left her with no strength in her right arm and almost no strength in her right leg. She began riding again but broke her back after her second competition. Despite being recommended not to ride again, Johnson didn’t listen and completed her first competition for South Africa in 2002.

3. Chantelle Stierman

Stierman is a powerlifter and will be representing South Africa in the para-powerlifter division. She will be participating in the 61kg category against six other competitors…

Stierman suffered a traumatic back injury that resulted in paraplegia. This is Stierman’s first Paralympic Games.

4. Sandra Khumalo

Khumalo is a rower for Team South Africa. She participated in the 2012 Games in London and was SA’s only representative in the rowing division.

This year, she is one of three women representing South Africa in rowing. Khumalo was paralysed in a car accident in 2005 when her spinal cord was damaged.

5. Ilse Hayes

Hayes is an athlete who takes part in category T13 events which are for athletes with visual disabilities. She won gold in the long jump and silver in 100m in both London in 2012 and Beijing in 2008…

Hayes has a visual impairment with 15% vision in both eyes due to a condition she has had from the age of 11 that caused her eyesight to start deteriorating. She will be representing Team SA in the athletics section of the Games.

6. Alani Ferreira

Ferraira will be representing South Africa in the pool at this year’s Paralympics. Remarkably, she managed to qualify four times during the national championships earlier this year.

Ferreira was diagnosed at age 12 with a genetic eye disorder, Stargardt macular dystrophy, which causes a blind spot in the middle of her vision and causes her to gradually lose her central vision. This will be 18-year-old Ferreira’s first Paralympics.

Good luck out there ladies, here’s hoping you all return home with some bling draped around your neck.

[source:dailyvox]