Meet the Coach

Sheryl James is no stranger to the Commonwealth Games, having competed herself at Birmingham 2022. However, her path into Para Athletics started relatively late in life.  

Sheryl grew up in Limpopo, the northernmost province of South Africa into a farming family. She was born with Cerebral Palsy and hemiplegia down the right side of her body caused by a lack of oxygen at her birth. This causes stiffness and tightness in her muscles that require her to compensate on her left side.  

However, this didn’t stop her being an active child. She has always been involved in sports in some capacity, in the early days focusing on long distance running before eventually moving onto sprinting.  

Sheryl only began competing professionally in 2018 at the age of 32, fuelled by a drive to participate and compete in her sport.

At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Sheryl won bronze in the 400m before going on to compete at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, reaching the final in the Women's T37/38 100m. From here Sheryl begin to make the shift into coaching whilst also still competing as an athlete. 

“I had gone through a tough period after Tokyo emotionally, and coaching provided me with the opportunity to work through those emotions, the difficult situations, and overcome them.” 

Sheryl comes from a rural area where there aren’t a lot of opportunities for athletes to participate and compete, least of all for Para athletes. Using her own personal experience, Sheryl also takes time to represent marginalised communities in South Africa with disabilities. 

“My drive is to give them the opportunity to compete” 

Meet the athlete

Sheryl’s work in coaching has led her to Masala Makatu, a 19-year-old athlete from South Africa.

Masala competes in the T12 category, meaning that he has a visual impairment that leaves him with limited sight.  

Masala met Sheryl for the first time at his school’s try outs when he was invited to an open day. Masala’s potential was obvious and when we met the pair met at a GAPS camp in Stellenbosch in 2025, it was no surprise that they had struck up a coaching partnership that benefitted them both. Masala describes their relationship as sibling like, built on mutual trust and respect. 

“We’re like brother and sister. We share the same wavelength and basically everything else.  

“If she loses, if she wins, I think ‘my coach lost, I mustn't lose’ or ‘I lost, my coach mustn't lose’. It's how I build my motivation because we’re both athletes, but she’s also my coach and I’m her athlete.” 

For Masala, this first GAPS camp helped him identify his classification and also helped him improve his training. He felt welcomed and understood, with his athletic performance benefitting from the experience.  

“I used all of the experience I received at the camp and it really worked because I managed to break a new PB. I have changed a lot and I am getting stronger, this is how I know the training is helping.” 

Since then, his performance in the 100m sprint has consistently improved, particularly this season smashing several PBs. The partnership between Sheryl and Masala requires communication and patience according to Sheryl, due to both of their differing disabilities. Their training often consists of Sheryl verbally communicating her feedback for Masala, which he then takes on board and demonstrates to Sheryl who can further advise him.  

“I can’t see further away from where I am standing, I can’t see small things. People can get confused and get angry, but I can’t see if something is small.” 

“Masala has a gift of understanding my words and the terrible demonstrations” Sheryl jokes.  

It is a partnership that clearly works!  

Masala might be the athlete in the context of this relationship, but Sheryl’s Athletics career is still thriving and both athletes are expected to qualify for Glasgow 2026. 

“Masala is well on route to qualifying. He still needs to secure his place which I trust he will do.  

“I am also working towards competing as an athlete, at my second Commonwealth Games while also being in Glasgow with him as his coach.” 

Masala is thinking ahead to the Paralympics in 2028 and beyond, with of course Sheryl by his side as his coach.  

“My next goal is for Sheryl to help me qualify for three Paralympics in the future. I think she is going to do it and help me, I know she can.”  

Although both of them are still working towards their goals, they recognise that their partnership has been a catalyst for their progression. As Glasgow approaches, they both remain committed to working hard for each other.  

“Never give up on your dreams, just focus, no matter what others say. Put your effort, mind and everything into it. 

“From us, we want to say thank you to GAPS and everyone who has been in the process of making this possible. Without it, we can’t go anywhere.” 

GAPS is a multi-stakeholder partnership programme developed for emerging athletes and coaches access to additional skills, knowledge and resources with the aim of advancing coaches education, removing barriers to participation, and supporting the development of inclusive sports pathways that promote positive social change in sport and local communities. 

Watch Sheryl and Masala's journey here...

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As the charitable arm of Commonwealth Sport, since launching in 2020, Commonwealth Sport Foundation (CSF) has helped to equip aspiring and established athletes with the tools to build inclusive, equitable and sustainable futures by breaking down barriers in and beyond sport through programmes such as GAPS. Find out more about the CSF here