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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; 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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Saray Khumalo is an inspirational figure in the world of mountaineering, renowned for her remarkable achievements and unwavering determination. Born in Zambia and raised in South Africa, Saray’s journey to the summits of the world’s highest peaks is a testament to her resilience and passion for adventure. With a string of notable accomplishments to her […]
Sean Brokensha has worked in radio, television and live entertainment since the mid 80’s, primarily as a television writer, producer and director, for amongst others the BBC, CBS and all the main local broadcasters. For the past two decades, Sean has presented radio and TV shows specifically about music, on a variety of stations, including […]
Desiree-Anne Martin believes in the inherent ability of anyone to change. Her mantra is that there is hope, always, and she is a Change Catalyst and Inspirational Speaker. Desiree-Anne is a prize-winning published author and poet. Her writing on racial identification, GBV, the myths of parenthood, sex and feminism has appeared in numerous print anthologies […]
Meet Lorne Sulcas – The Big Cat Guy, an unconventional motivational speaker who stands out from the crowd. With a career spanning since 1996, Lorne Sulcas has graced some of the world’s most prestigious stages, captivating audiences with his unique approach to motivational speaking. His presentations, under the banner of Thriving in a Wild World™, […]
Tlou Mathatho is a professional motivational speaker with more than 19 years of public speaking experience. Having started public speaking at the age of 14 in high school, his public speaking skills positioned him to be able to convey his message to his audience in a more practical and thought provoking way. With an inborn […]
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. […]
Founder of Legazy, Zuko Tisani raised $1 million for technology conferencing at the age of twenty-three. Named the ‘King of Conferencing’ by Destiny Man, Zuko brought the largest African delegation of twenty startups to Lisbon, Portugal at the age of twenty-four. Born in the township of Zwide in Port Elizabeth, Zuko was raised by his […]
Pie-Pacifique Kabalira-Uwase embodies resilience, determination, and the unyielding pursuit of dreams against all odds. Born into the tumultuous backdrop of war-torn Rwanda, Pie-Pacifique’s early life was marked by the horrors of genocide. Faced with the grim reality of violence and persecution, he made the courageous decision to leave his homeland in pursuit of safety. His […]
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