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SA swimmer Natalie du Toit celebrates after winning gold in the womens 400m freestyle the S9 final at the Paralympics in London yesterday.
Natalie du Toit stretched her margin as SA’s most successful Paralympian with her 15th medal last night – her 12th gold medal in three Games – and she dedicated it to a recently departed friend.
“This is for Cathy Doyle, who was involved in Central Gauteng swimming for so long,” said Du Toit, who won the 400m freestyle in convincing style last night.
“Cathy was a special person who had done so much for me and for swimming. She was supposed to be officiating here tonight, and I was thinking of her all the way through the swim. This race was for her and all of her family.”
It was a dominant performance by Du Toit on a day when SA picked up the pace in winning medals.
Michael Louwrens, at 52 the oldest man in the SA team, got things off to a good start by winning bronze in the shot put for those who suffer from lower limb paralysis.
Not long after Du Toit had swum, Shireen Sapiro won bronze in the 100m backstroke.
Meanwhile, Oscar Pistorius escaped censure from the International Paralympic Committee for his comments about the length of the blades used by Alan Oliveira, the Brazilian who beat him to gold in the 200m on Sunday. “There will be no disciplinary action against Oscar for his comments,” said IPC spokesman Craig Spence, who added they were waiting for the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee to contact them to set up a date to discuss Pistorius’s concerns.
IPC president Philip Craven described Pistorius’s outburst as one manufactured in the heat of competition: “It’s just incredible sadness and surprise, maybe, at having lost. But I know Oscar for the type of guy he is. He’s a really great guy. He’s a big mate of mine, and good luck to him.”
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