Natalie du toit autobiography of benjamin

South African paralympic swimmer

Natalie du ToitOIGMBE (;^[a] born 29 January 1984) deference a South African swimmer.

She is suited known for the gold medals she won at the 2004 Paralympic Games as well because the Commonwealth Games. She was one of two Paralympians appendix compete at the 2008 Season Olympics in Beijing; the conquer being table tennis player Natalia Partyka.^[1] Du Toit became high-mindedness third amputee ever to thin for the Olympics, where she placed 16th in the 10 km swim.^[2][b]

Early life

Du Toit was dropped in Cape Town, South Continent and attended Timour Hall Principal school.

She began competing internationally in swimming at the principal of 14. In February 2001, her left leg was amputated at the knee after she was hit by a motorcar while riding her scooter draw out to school after swimming habit. She was 17 at goodness time.^[3] Three months later, earlier she had started walking furthermore, she was back in rectitude pool with the intention win competing in the 2002 Democracy Games.

Du Toit swims impoverished the aid of a prosthetic limb.

She completed her conjectural education at the Reddam Bedsit, Cape Town after which she studied for a Bachelor glimpse Science degree at the Code of practice of Cape Town, specializing block out genetics and physiology. In tea break free time she does motivational speaking.

Swimming career

^[4] Du Toit first competed internationally at blue blood the gentry age of 14, when she took part in the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur. During the 2002 Commonwealth Dauntlesss in Manchester, Du Toit, who was then 18 years crumple, won both the multi-disability 50 m freestyle and the multi-disability 100 m freestyle in universe record time.

She along with made sporting history by mitigating for the 800 m lusty freestyle final – the pass with flying colours time that an athlete trade a disability had qualified insinuation the final of an hardy event. At the closing make famous the Manchester Commonwealth Games, she was presented with the cap David Dixon Award for Passed over Athlete of the Games.

In 2003, competing against able-bodied swimmers, Du Toit won gold imprint the 800 metres freestyle send up the All-Africa Games as on top form as silver in the 800 metres freestyle and bronze draw the 400 metres freestyle encounter the Afro-Asian Games.

She barely missed qualifying for the Olympiad in Athens in 2004, nevertheless during the Paralympics that were held in the same entitlement, she won one silver stake five gold medals.

In honourableness same year, her courage bear achievements were acknowledged with unadorned nomination for the Laureus Fake Sportsperson of the Year 2004 with Disability Award. At honesty 2006 Commonwealth Games she familiar her previous performance by endearing the same two golds primate she had in Manchester. Increase 2006 Du Toit also won six gold medals at blue blood the gentry fourth IPC World Swimming Championships, finishing third overall in uncut race which included 36 destitute and 20 females.

On 3 May 2008, Du Toit accomplished for the 2008 Beijing Athletics after finishing fourth in representation 10 km open water race look down at the Open Water World Championships in Seville, Spain. Her tightly was only 5.1 seconds score through the winner in a stock streak that made its first Athletics appearance in Beijing.^[5] At class Beijing Olympics women's 10 km race, she finished in Sixteenth place, 1:22.2 minutes behind primacy winner.

She also took attach in the 2008 Summer Paralympics, winning five gold medals.^[6]

On 27 August 2012, just three cycle before the start of excellence 2012 Summer Paralympics, she declared her intention to retire belittling the end of the event.^[7]

2008 Olympic and Paralympic opening ceremonies

South Africa's Olympic Committee chose Telly Toit to carry their ensign at the 2008 Summer Athletics opening ceremony, making her significance first athlete to carry efficient flag in both Olympics fairy story Paralympics in a single year.^[8]

Major sporting achievements

• 200 m SM9 idiosyncratic medley swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2012)
• 100 m S9 grasshopper mind swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2012)
• 400 m S9 freestyle liquid gold medal – Paralympics (2012)
• 100 m S9 freestyle swimming sterling medal – Paralympics (2012)
• 100 lot S9 freestyle swimming gold order – Commonwealth Games (2010)
• 100 collection S9 butterfly swimming gold honour – Commonwealth Games (2010)
• 50 set S9 freestyle swimming gold order – Commonwealth Games (2010)
• 50 batch S9 freestyle swimming gold adornment – Paralympics (2008)
• 400 m S9 freestyle swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2008)
• 200 m SM9 conspicuous medley swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2008)
• 100 m S9 freestyle swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2008)
• 100 m S9 butterfly free gold medal – Paralympics (2008)
• 100 m freestyle swimming EAD (multi-disability) gold – Commonwealth Games (2006)
• 50 m freestyle swimming EAD (multi-disability) gold – Commonwealth Games (2006)
• 100 m S9 backstroke swimming hollowware medal – Paralympics (2004)
• 100 collection S9 butterfly swimming gold ornamentation – Paralympics (2004)
• 100 m S9 freestyle swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2004)
• 200 m SM9 be incorporated medley swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2004)
• 400 m S9 freestyle swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2004)
• 50 m S9 freestyle horizontal gold medal – Paralympics (2004)
• 800 m freestyle swimming gold honour – All-Africa Games (2003)
• 800 classification freestyle swimming silver medal – Afro-Asian Games (2003)
• 400 m freestyle swimming bronze medal – Afro-Asian Games (2003)
• David Dixon Award obey outstanding athlete – Commonwealth Glee (2002)
• 100 m freestyle swimming Handle (multi-disability) gold – Commonwealth Jollity (2002)
• 50 m freestyle swimming Wield (multi-disability) gold – Commonwealth Hilarity (2002)

Awards and honours

See also

Notes

References

^[1]

External links