Athens - South African sport enthusiasts will again look at Greece from Friday evening - this time to watch an exceptional group of athletes - the Amakrokokroko.
With the memories still fresh of the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games, Athens will again be ready for about 4 000 athletes from 143 countries for the 12th Paralympic Games.
The opening ceremony is on Friday evening and competitors will compete in 19 events until September 28.
The Amakrokokroko won 13 gold medals, 12 silver and 13 bronze medals at the Sydney Paralympics and also improved eight world records.
The South African national anthem was played only once during the Olympics when Roland Schoeman, Lyndon Ferns, Darian Townsend and Ryk Neethling won the 4x100m freestyle swimming event.
But, it's hoped it will be heard several times during the Paralympics.
Cape Town swimmer Natalie du Toit is expected to be one of the stars at the Paralympics.
Charl Bouwer the youngest member
The 20-year-old swimmer, who nearly stole the show at the Commonwealth Games in 2002, has been entered in seven events.
It's hoped that Du Toit, who lost a leg in a scooter accident a few years ago, will win medals in at least five events.
Of the eight athletes who won 13 gold medals four years ago, six are again competing this year.
They are the former Blue Bull, Fanie Lombard, who won three gold medals and improved three world records, Malcolm Pringle (800m), Zanele Situ (shotput), Michael Louwrens (shotput), Natahan Meyer (100m) and Ebert Kleynhans (freestyle, 50m and 100m).
Gert van der Merwe, who won a gold medal in shotput at the previous games and was one of the colourful characters of the Sydney Paralympics, died after an operation last year.
A lot is also expected of 18-year-old Oscar Pistorius, a pupil at the Hoër Seunskool in Pretoria, who lost both legs but run with prosthetics.
The youngest member of the South African team is 14-year-old swimmer Charl Bouwer of Jacobsdal near Kimberley, who is sight-impaired.
The Amakrokokroko team was hosted at a reception by Jannie Momberg, South Africa's ambassador in Greece, on Thursday evening.
