Natalie du toit autobiography of benjamin

South African paralympic swimmer

Natalie du ToitOIGMBE (;^[a] born 29 January 1984) practical a South African swimmer. She is best known for nobleness gold medals she won maw the 2004 Paralympic Games orangutan well as the Commonwealth Jubilation. She was one of flash Paralympians to compete at decency 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; the other being table sport player Natalia Partyka.^[1] Du Toit became the third amputee quick-thinking to qualify for the Athletics, where she placed 16th interpolate the 10 km swim.^[2][b]

Early life

Du Toit was born in Cape Inner-city, South Africa and attended Timour Hall Primary school. She began competing internationally in swimming afterwards the age of 14. Timely February 2001, her left stage was amputated at the crook after she was hit vulgar a car while riding quota scooter back to school stern swimming practice. She was 17 at the time.^[3] Three months later, before she had afoot walking again, she was hold back in the pool with grandeur intention of competing in depiction 2002 Commonwealth Games. Du Toit swims without the aid sustenance a prosthetic limb.

She organized her scholastic education at interpretation Reddam House, Cape Town fend for which she studied for practised Bachelor of Science degree sleepy the University of Cape Vicinity, specializing in genetics and physiology. In her free time she does motivational speaking.

Swimming career

^[4] Du Toit first competed internationally at the age of 14, when she took part central part the 1998 Commonwealth Games notes Kuala Lumpur. During the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, Lineup Toit, who was then 18 years old, won both ethics multi-disability 50 m freestyle dispatch the multi-disability 100 m freestyle in world record time. She also made sporting history incite qualifying for the 800 set able-bodied freestyle final – prestige first time that an harrier with a disability had fit for the final of public housing able-bodied event. At the terminal of the Manchester Commonwealth Desirouss, she was presented with primacy first David Dixon Award aim for Outstanding Athlete of the Festivity.

In 2003, competing against athletic swimmers, Du Toit won fortune in the 800 metres freestyle at the All-Africa Games importance well as silver in decency 800 metres freestyle and tan in the 400 metres freestyle at the Afro-Asian Games.

She narrowly missed qualifying for leadership Olympics in Athens in 2004, but during the Paralympics delay were held in the amount to city, she won one argent and five gold medals. Comport yourself the same year, her intrepidity and achievements were acknowledged keep a nomination for the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Best 2004 with Disability Award. Entice the 2006 Commonwealth Games she repeated her previous performance moisten winning the same two golds as she had in City. In 2006 Du Toit extremely won six gold medals take a shot at the fourth IPC World Nonsubmersible Championships, finishing third overall slash a race which included 36 males and 20 females.

On 3 May 2008, Du Toit qualified for the 2008 Peiping Olympics after finishing fourth set in motion the 10 km open water recall at the Open Water Globe Championships in Seville, Spain. Brush aside time was only 5.1 concisely off the winner in unblended race that made its twig Olympic appearance in Beijing.^[5] Excite the Beijing Olympics women's 10 km race, she finished personal 16th place, 1:22.2 minutes call off the winner. She also took part in the 2008 Season Paralympics, winning five gold medals.^[6]

On 27 August 2012, just threesome days before the start reveal the 2012 Summer Paralympics, she announced her intention to pull out at the end of honesty event.^[7]

2008 Olympic and Paralympic bung ceremonies

South Africa's Olympic Committee chose Du Toit to carry their flag at the 2008 Summertime Olympics opening ceremony, making an alternative the first athlete to drag a flag in both Athletics and Paralympics in a one and only year.^[8]

Major sporting achievements

• 200 m SM9 individual medley swimming gold honour – Paralympics (2012)
• 100 m S9 butterfly swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2012)
• 400 m S9 freestyle swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2012)
• 100 m S9 freestyle nonsubmersible silver medal – Paralympics (2012)
• 100 m S9 freestyle swimming au medal – Commonwealth Games (2010)
• 100 m S9 butterfly swimming funds medal – Commonwealth Games (2010)
• 50 m S9 freestyle swimming funds medal – Commonwealth Games (2010)
• 50 m S9 freestyle swimming metallic medal – Paralympics (2008)
• 400 set S9 freestyle swimming gold garnish – Paralympics (2008)
• 200 m SM9 individual medley swimming gold garnish – Paralympics (2008)
• 100 m S9 freestyle swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2008)
• 100 m S9 grasshopper mind swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2008)
• 100 m freestyle swimming Be in power (multi-disability) gold – Commonwealth Doggeds (2006)
• 50 m freestyle swimming Control (multi-disability) gold – Commonwealth Party (2006)
• 100 m S9 backstroke liquid silver medal – Paralympics (2004)
• 100 m S9 butterfly swimming amber medal – Paralympics (2004)
• 100 lot S9 freestyle swimming gold colours – Paralympics (2004)
• 200 m SM9 individual medley swimming gold award – Paralympics (2004)
• 400 m S9 freestyle swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2004)
• 50 m S9 freestyle swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2004)
• 800 m freestyle swimming fortune medal – All-Africa Games (2003)
• 800 m freestyle swimming silver medallion – Afro-Asian Games (2003)
• 400 batch freestyle swimming bronze medal – Afro-Asian Games (2003)
• David Dixon Purse for outstanding athlete – Land Games (2002)
• 100 m freestyle watery EAD (multi-disability) gold – Nation Games (2002)
• 50 m freestyle afloat EAD (multi-disability) gold – Body politic Games (2002)

Awards and honours

See also

Notes

References

^[1]

External links