Teenage athlete wins SA's SIXTH medal at Paralympics!

Ntando Mahlangu has become South Africa's sixth medalist at the Paralympic Games in Rio!

Fourteen-year-old Ntando Mahlangu brings home a silver @Paralympics medal for SA. Incredible!https://t.co/Ssht6qW4Qj pic.twitter.com/crdgxrGr9o — Runner's World SA (@runnersworldza) September 12, 2016

The 14-year-old athlete, who was born with hemi-melia and underdeveloped limbs, had to have his legs amputated in 2012, after he had been in a wheelchair his life.

Congratulations to Ntando Mahlangu, a 14 years old Paralympic who got RSA ?? SILVER in 200m#teamSArise
Sweet Pride pic.twitter.com/yFUZxrPNol — RSA Min of Sport (@MbalulaFikile) September 12, 2016

Using a set of prosthetic blades, he hurtled to silver last night in the men's 200 m. He also broke the African record with a time of 23.77 in the race for above-the-knee amputees.

MISSED IT?
SIX Medals for #TeamSA #Paralympics ! SILVER to Ntando Mahlangu (200m in 23.77s) at the tender age of 14! pic.twitter.com/Xtp8LtlzW4 — 7s in South Africa (@BlitzBokke) September 12, 2016

Ntando received his artificial legs soon after his legs were amputated -- but he had to learn to walk all over again. "It took me a week to learn to walk on them, and after two weeks I was able to run. I felt good when I was able to play soccer with my friends," the Jiangxi-born runner told told the Sunday Times . "It was lekker."

Ntando Mahlangu take a bow, 14 years old and he wins SILVER in 200m#teamSArise — TeamSouthAfrica (@teamsa16) September 11, 2016

Although he actually prefers the 400 m race, Ntando proved equally adept in the 200 m race.

“I knew that once I got into my stride that I would be okay,” he told IOL.com said after his spectacular performance last night.

“I thought it could do well. It’s not my preferred distance, but I showed that I can run fast over 200 m as well as 400 m.”

South Africa's medal count stands at six so far:

Gold:

Charl du Toit - men's 100 m

Hilton Langenhoven - men's high jump

Kevin Paul - men's 100 m breaststroke

Silver:

Ntando Mahlangu - men's 200 m

Ilse Hayes - women's 100 m

Bronze:

Fanie van der Merwe - men's 100 me