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Natalie du Toit left leg was amputated below the knee in 2001. She has gone on to compete against – and often beat – able-bodied swimmers at the highest level. At 16, she nearly qualified for the 2000 Sydney Olympics in three events. People sensed great things were in store for the strong, determined swimmer; […]
Natalie du Toit left leg was amputated below the knee in 2001. She has gone on to compete against – and often beat – able-bodied swimmers at the highest level.
At 16, she nearly qualified for the 2000 Sydney Olympics in three events. People sensed great things were in store for the strong, determined swimmer; in 2004, Athens would become her playground.
Then in 2001, those plans abruptly changed. Having completed her morning workout, Natalie eased her motor scooter into Monday rush-hour traffic and headed to school.
Just down the street from her pool, a careless driver exiting a parking lot ran directly into Natalie’s left leg. The scene was gruesome; the devastation was immediately obvious: “I kept saying, ‘I’ve lost my leg, I’ve lost my leg“. Her team mates rushed to her. Traffic snarled. The scene: total, horrible chaos. A motorcycle policeman racing to the accident crashed headfirst into a truck and had to be airlifted to a hospital.
The tragedy of life does not lie in not reaching your goals;
the tragedy of life lies in not having goals to reach for.
It is not a disgrace not to reach for the stars,
but it is a disgrace not to have stars to reach for.
‘Swim your own race!’
What Natalie du Toit has done (and is still busy doing) to overcome her adversity and the lessons she’s learned along the way, she believes holds true regardless of one’s age, sex, race, religion, nationality or financial standing. It all comes from self-belief – an exceptionally powerful tool, if we could just learn how to use it correctly every day.
Since her accident, Natalie du Toit switched to longer events – from 200m and 400m individual medley to 800m and 1 500m freestyle – to make up for her loss of speed with only one leg. But she made no adjustment to her mental outlook!
Since then, she has become one of the most successful disabled athletes of all times and an inspiration to many!
Natalie du Toit goal was to compete as an able-bodied swimmer at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. This goal materialized on the 20 August 2008, when she competed in the 10km ladies open water marathon, in Shunyi.
The five Gold Medals at the 2008 Paralympic Games made Natalie du Toit the most successful athlete in South Africa. She was further awarded the Whan Youn Dai Achievement Award.
This award is presented to 2 athletes, one male and one female athlete and is given to people with disability who have achieved excellence through exceptional performances in sport and life.
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Robin Banks is one of the world’s leading authorities on the subject of Mind Power and Personal Mastery. He is a highly-sought after International Speaker and has spoken to CEO’s and Senior Management from Global Fortune 500 companies. He is a prolific speaker and presenter and has an amazing ability to combine solid content with […]
Penny Heyns is an international speaker, Penny Heyns has established herself as the world’s greatest female breaststroker of the 20th century, by becoming the only woman in Olympic history to win both the 100 and the 200 meter breaststroke events in Atlanta 1996, bronze in Sydney 2000 and by breaking a total of 14 individual […]
It’s strange, how in a single brief moment in time, with only a few words spoken, one’s life can change so completely. Suddenly all you know, trust and rely upon, Yavi Madurai plummeted into the depths of the unknown. This is precisely what happened to self- professed 33 year old, “control freak”, Yavi Madurai. On […]
Nambitha Mpumlwana wears many hats – businesswoman, humanitarian, philanthropist, charity patron and many more. She is an inspirational, dynamic woman whose talent has touched many people. Apart from her stardom and entrepreneurship, Nambitha Mpumlwana is an inspirational, dynamic, deeply spiritual and down-to-earth individual. Nambitha’s TV career Award-winning Yizo-Yizo I & II; Interrogation Room I & […]
At the age of 21, Devi Sankaree Govender started her career in journalism. She landed a freelance job at the SABC, whilst completing a BA degree at the University of Natal in Durban. Devi quickly moved from presenting music shows and reading the news to becoming a talk show host for the national public broadcaster, […]
Dr. Michael Mol is a multifaceted professional whose diverse career trajectory spans the realms of medicine, media, entrepreneurship, and public speaking. With a blend of medical expertise, television charisma, and entrepreneurial acumen, Dr. Mol has established himself as a prominent figure in South Africa and beyond. As a medical doctor, executive TV producer and presenter, […]
Kingsley Holgate “I feel blessed to be born under African skies and with my family and team of fellow adventurers to be privileged to live the lie of a modern day adventurers and with your support to be able to continue to use these adventures to improve and save lives.Good luck and thanks for all […]
Travis Gale leverages three key ingredients in his presentations; story, insight and relevant questions which ensure practical application. He has set himself a personal challenge in that every talk that he does will introduce new language and terminology into the context within which he is speaking, ensuring sustainability and ongoing reflection on what he shares. […]
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