Western Cape Transplant Sport stands as a formal member of the Western Cape Provincial Sport Confederation (WCPSC), providing a competitive platform for organ and bone marrow recipients. The federation manages participation in over 12 sport codes, including track and field, swimming, cycling, golf, tennis, squash, pétanque, and lawn bowls. To maintain a high standard of performance, the association organizes technical training and development days. A recent athletics clinic at Parow Stadium, for example, focused on coaching for javelin, discus, and shot put to prepare athletes for the national and international calendars.
The results from Western Cape athletes consistently place the region at the forefront of the sport in South Africa. In 2023, 13 Western Cape athletes represented South Africa in Perth, Australia, for the World Transplant Games, bringing home 19 of the country’s total medals, including 3 gold, 10 silver, and 6 bronze. During the 2024 National Transplant Games hosted in Cape Town, the federation saw a record 98 entries, and Western Cape athletes were instrumental in helping set 21 new South African records. Beyond specialized games, the federation facilitates participation in major open events, where 11 members recently completed the 109km Cape Town Cycle Tour and athlete Melda Ruiters completed 21 half-marathons in a single year post-transplant.
A significant contributor to these international results is swimmer Leendert Wijnja. Born with a congenital heart defect, Wijnja’s early life was restricted by physical limitations that made standard athletic participation impossible. Following a life-saving heart transplant, he transitioned from a patient to a high-performance athlete, specializing in the breaststroke and committing to a rigorous training regimen of four to five sessions per week. His participation in the World Transplant Games in Dresden, Germany, in August 2025 marked a major milestone for the federation. Competing in various swimming strokes, his performance as a medalist helped the South African team secure an 8th-place overall finish out of 62 competing nations.
Under the leadership of President Rentia Le Roux, the federation has moved from providing social support to achieving consistent, high-level results across a variety of athletic disciplines. Wijnja continues to compete in open events, such as the SA Swimming Masters, where he represents the federation against non-transplant athletes, further demonstrating the physical capabilities restored through transplantation and specialized training. To be eligible for federation events, athletes must be at least one year post-transplant and medically stable. The association continues to grow, with membership increasing by 11% in the last year, reflecting a steady rise in active participation across the province.
