South African amputee swimmer Natalie du Toit and Panaman runner Said Gomez will be presented the Whang Youn Dai Achievement Awards at Wednesday's closing ceremony of the Beijing Paralympics, the International Paralympic Committee said on Tuesday.
Du Toit and Gomez won the awards because they "have exemplified the spirit of the Paralympians", the IPC said in a statement. They will be each given a medal made out of 75 grams pure gold.
Athletes from 24 countries and regions had been nominated by the IPC exeuctive committee, Chefs de Mission and the press, and six athletes made the shortlist, three each in the male and female categories, said the IPC.
Joining Gomez in the men's pool were Supachai Koysub of Thailand and Ron Williams of the United States. Along with du Toit, Natalia Partyka of Poland and Cheri Blauwet of the United States rounded the women's field.
The Whang Youn Dai Achievement Award is named after South Korean Whang Youn Dai, who was stricken with polio at the age of three. She contributed her life to the development of Paralympic sport around the world.
At the 1988 Paralympic Summer Games in Seoul, the IPC recognized her life-long contribution to the Paralympic Movement and thus established the award. Since then, this award was presented at every Paralympic Games to one male and one female athlete.
(Xinhua News Agency September 16, 2008)