Silver medallist Lynda Hamri of Algeria, gold medallist Ilse Hayes of South Africa and bronze medallist Anthi Karagianni of Greece pose on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Women's Long Jump F13 Final at the Paralympic Games in London
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Ilse Hayes of South Africa crosses the line to win silver in the Women's 100m - T13 Final at the London 2012 Paralympic Games
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Aged 11, she was diagnosed with Stargardt’s disease a condition which affects the central vision and the ability to see basic detail.
Undeterred she took up athletics in 2001 and one year later was crowned 400m (1:01.42) world champion at the 2002 IPC Athletics World Championships in France. She also won 100m bronze (13.06).
At her first Paralympic Games in Athens, the South African took 400m (1:00.17) bronze and followed this up at the 2006 World Championships with bronze medals in the 200m (26.32) and 400m (1:00.23).
In Beijing in 2008 she won her first Paralympic gold in the long jump (5.68m) and also won 100m (12.45) silver.
Her finest competition to date was arguably the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championship in New Zealand. She ended the competition with gold medals in the long jump (5.80m) and 100m (12.49), where she defeated Morocco’s Sanae Benhama by just 0.05 seconds.
Hayes defended her long jump title (5.70m) at London 2012, 39cm ahead of Algerian Lynda Hamri and claimed 100m silver (12.41).
Off the track, Hayes has completed a Sports Science degree and then her honours in Pediatric Sciences.
She works with children on a community project at the University of Stellenbosch where she focuses on motor development within sports and finds it rewarding to watch the children grow not only with their movement, but with life skills as well.
