Natalie du Toit’s story is a truly inspirational one of the courage required to overcome adversity. She has done it with steely determination and unfaltering humour.
Her leg was amputated after an horrific scooter accident in 2001. But just 124 days later, she was competing against able-bodied swimmers in the Western Province winter gala.
And now, her hard work has paid off: Natalie has qualified for the Olympics in Beijing.
Read about the path that led South Africa’s superstar swimmer to her fourth-place finish at the FINA World Open Swimming Championships in Seville, Spain, last week, in Natalie du Toit: Tumble Turn by Tracey Hawthorne.
Natalie has passed the ultimate test for any athlete, and achieved her life-long dream of eligibility to represent South Africa at the most important sporting event in the world:
South African swimming star Natalie du Toit’s fourth place finish in the 10 kilometres event at the FINA World Open Swimming Championships in Seville, Spain on Saturday has taken her Olympic dream to the next level.
Du Toit finished the distance in 2 hours 02 minutes 07.8 secs, just missing out on the bronze medal which went the way of Yurema Requena of Spain 2:02,7.2. Russian Larisa Ilchenko took the gold medal in 2:02,02.7.
According to the Olympic selection criteria of world aquatics body FINA, the top ten finishers are eligible for Olympic participation, and Swimming SA will forward a letter of motivation to local sports controlling body SASCOC, to enhance the call for the inclusion of du Toit in the Rainbow Nation’s Olympic team that will participate in Beijing in August.
Book Details
Please register or log in to comment
