Carol Ofori hosts two adaptive surfers in studio
"I'm paralysed from my chest down from a car accident."
This past weekend, April 12–13, 2025, marked the 2025 South African National Parasurfing Championships. To celebrate the achievements of our para-surfing community, Carol Ofori welcomed two inspiring female adaptive surfers to the studio.
Carol sat down with Similo Dlamini and Jodie Kroone – two women with very different journeys into the world of surfing, but a shared passion, drive, and sense of accomplishment.
Kroone began her para-surfing journey in 2019 during a casual Saturday session with Made for More. By 2021, she was already competing, going on to win the KZN Champs and place third nationally in her division.
"Since then, I think it's just ignited this fire of competing and being a part of a team, and I love it. My division is Prone, which is when you're on your chest. You use your arms to navigate the board, like going left or right," said Kroone.
Kroone uses a wheelchair, but that wasn’t always her reality. Eight years ago, a car accident left her paralysed from the chest down.
She loves how surfing gives her a sense of belonging and makes her feel part of a team. But adjusting to life as a paraplegic wasn’t easy – Kroone went from walking into malls to rolling into them, and the stares from strangers made the transition even harder. Still, she’s found her place in the para-surfing community and embraces the sport fully outside of her day job in social media marketing.
Similo Dlamini, an accountant by profession and a self-proclaimed “water baby”, has always felt at home in the ocean. After mastering swimming, she set her sights on surfing – and hasn’t looked back since.
She competes in the kneel division, where she removes her prosthetic limb and surfs on one knee. Dlamini’s achievements speak for themselves – she proudly represented South Africa at the World Para Surfing Championships in both 2022 and 2023.
Check out some of Dlamini's snaps at the Para Surfing Championships courtesy of Instagram.
Watch the interview in the studio below – courtesy of TikTok.
@eastcoastradiokzn 🌊 In case you missed it, the 2025 South African National Parasurfing Championships made waves at New Pier, Durban this past weekend! 🇿🇦🏄♂️ 🎙️Carol Ofori caught up with two incredible adaptive surfers, Similo Dlamini and Jodie Kroone, live in studio. Watch the inspiring chat here! 🌟 #CarolOforiOnECR #ParasurfingSA #MakingWaves @carolofori
♬ original sound - East Coast Radio
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