Table tennis star with Down Syndrome to partake in major tournament

Table tennis star with Down Syndrome to partake in major tournament

- Meet Cindy Engelbrecht, a woman who has not let Down Syndrome stand in the way of greatness

- The 30-year-old lady is a talented sports star and currently the North Table Tennis Champion title holder

- Engelbrecht has now been invited to take part in a major table tennis tournament in Cape Town

PAY ATTENTION: Click “See First” under the “Following” tab to see Briefly.co.za News on your News Feed!

Cindy Engelbrecht is living proof that a person determines his or her own limitations. The 30-year-old Gauteng table tennis champion, who hails from Centurion, is on her way to take part in a major tournament in Cape Town.

Engelbrecht was born with Down Syndrome and doctors told her parents she would never be able to do anything by herself.

However, she defied all the odds and in only five years, Engelbrecht became one of the country's top Down Syndrome Field Athletes with the support of her family and her school, Club 21.

Briefly.co.za learned Engelbrecht represented the country at the Sports Union for Athletes with Down Syndrome (SU-DS) World Championships in Athletics in Portugal.

She placed in the top in shotput, discus and javelin, bringing back home two silver and bronze medals.

Table tennis star with Down Syndrome to partake in major tournament
Cindy Engelbrecht lives with Down Syndrome but she has not let it stand in her way of succeeding. Photo credit: Supplied.
Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Man starts business, inspires Mzansi: "Start small, aim big"

She's also a talented table tennis player and managed to win the Gauteng North Table Tennis Champion title.

Now, Engelbrecht has been invited to take part in the The South African Down Syndrome Table Tennis Championships in Cape Town from the 23 to 27 March.

Her brother, 36-year-old Jean Engelbrecht, applauded her fearlessness and can-do attitude. The proud brother was quoted saying:

“Cindy is fearless and has a can-do attitude. Sport is a big part of her life and every time we think she can’t get any better, she passes our expectations and sets new goals. She keeps striving to be the best she can be and at the same time she motivates fellow contenders to be their best."

Engelbrecht needs R7 000 to enable her to attend the tournament in Cape Town and her family can't afford it.

A crowdfunding campaign was launched in February and thus far raised just over R4 900. If you want to contribute to Engelbrecht's dream, click on the BackaBuddy link here.

Briefly.co.za previously reported on another woman who, like Engelbrecht, proves Down Syndrome does not hold one back. 19-year-old Shumeez Scott is a South African model who has taken the runway by storm with her beauty and charisma.

Shumeez got introduced to modelling when she entered the National Miss Down Syndrome Ribbons4Roses in 2017. Her unique sparkle and lust for life astounded the judges for the pageant and Shumeez grabbed the winning title.

Enjoyed reading our story? Download BRIEFLY's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major South African news!

Source: Briefly News

Online view pixel