Career
Parkin, who is deaf, also competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics, as well as the 2005 Deaflympics in which he took home two gold medals. In 2011, Parkin saved a young boy from drowning. 1999 Pan Pacific Championships - Bronze Parkin competed in his first Olympic games in 2000 at the age of 20.
He used sign language to communicate with his coach.
About his trip to the Olympics, Parkin said "I am going to the Olympics to represent South Africa, but it"s so vitally important for me to go, to show that the deaf can do anything. They can"t hear, they can see everything.
I would like to show the world that there"s opportunities for the deaf.".