Taonere Banda

Taonere Banda (born 5 June 1996) is a middle-distance para-sport athlete from Malawi who competes mainly in middle-distance events in the T13 category. In 2016 Banda became the first athlete to represent Malawi at a Paralympic Games when she was selected to compete at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Personal history Banda was born in Malawi in 1996. She was born with a visual impairment.

Banda, who is coached by George Luhanga, was classified as a T13 athlete prior to the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London. She qualified for the London Paralympics, but was unable to attend after last minute funding issues.

Four years later she qualified for the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio, competing in the 1500 metres race (T13). In the buildup to the Games she had the opportunity to attend a training camp, and funding allowed her and her coach to travel to Brazil to become Malawi's first Paralympic athlete. Further disappointment was to follow for Banda when after the race she was disqualified from the race for leaving her lane.