View source for Natalie du Toit

{{short description|South African paralympic swimmer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Use South African English|date=May 2012}}
{{Infobox swimmer
| name = Dame Natalie du Toit<br /><small>{{nobold|[[Order of Ikhamanga|OIG]] [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]}}</small>
| image = 070908_-_Women%27s_S9_100m_butterfly_medallists_-_3b_-_crop_(cropped).jpg
| image_size = <!-- Only for images narrower than 220 pixels -->
| caption = du Toit at the [[2008 Summer Paralympics]]
| full_name = Natalie du Toit
| nicknames = Noodle
| nationality = South African
| strokes = Butterfly, backstroke, freestyle, breaststroke
| club =
| collegeteam =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1984|01|29}}
| birth_place = [[Cape Town]], South Africa
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height = 5'9
| weight = 165 Lbs
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport | Women's [[para swimming]]}}
{{MedalCountry|{{RSA}}}}
{{MedalCount
|[[Paralympic Games]]|13|2|0
|[[IPC Swimming World Championships|World Championships]]|12|1|1
|[[All Africa Games]]|5|0|0
|[[Commonwealth Games]]|7|0|0
||total=yes
}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Paralympic Games]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[2004 Summer Paralympics|2004 Athens]] | 50 m freestyle S9}}
{{MedalGold | [[2004 Summer Paralympics|2004 Athens]] | 100 m freestyle S9}}
{{MedalGold | [[2004 Summer Paralympics|2004 Athens]] | 400 m freestyle S9}}
{{MedalGold | [[2004 Summer Paralympics|2004 Athens]] | 100 m butterfly S9}}
{{MedalGold | [[2004 Summer Paralympics|2004 Athens]] | 200 m individual medley SM9}}
{{MedalGold | [[2008 Summer Paralympics|2008 Beijing]] | 50 m freestyle S9}}
{{MedalGold | [[2008 Summer Paralympics|2008 Beijing]] | 100 m freestyle S9}}
{{MedalGold | [[2008 Summer Paralympics|2008 Beijing]] | 400 m freestyle S9}}
{{MedalGold | [[2008 Summer Paralympics|2008 Beijing]] | 100 m butterfly S9}}
{{MedalGold | [[2008 Summer Paralympics|2008 Beijing]] | 200 m individual medley SM9}}
{{MedalGold | [[2012 Summer Paralympics|2012 London]] | 100 m butterfly S9}}
{{MedalGold | [[2012 Summer Paralympics|2012 London]] | 400 m freestyle S9}}
{{MedalGold | [[2012 Summer Paralympics|2012 London]] | 200 m individual medley S9}}
{{MedalSilver | [[2004 Summer Paralympics|2004 Athens]] | 100 m backstroke S9}}
{{MedalSilver | [[2012 Summer Paralympics|2012 London]] | 100m Freestyle S9}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[IPC Swimming World Championships|World Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[2010 IPC Swimming World Championships|2006 Durban]] | 50 m freestyle S9}}
{{MedalGold | [[2010 IPC Swimming World Championships|2006 Durban]] | 100 m freestyle S9}}
{{MedalGold | [[2010 IPC Swimming World Championships|2006 Durban]] | 400 m freestyle S9}}
{{MedalGold | [[2010 IPC Swimming World Championships|2006 Durban]] | 100 m butterfly S9}}
{{MedalGold | [[2010 IPC Swimming World Championships|2006 Durban]] | 200m medley S9}}
{{MedalGold | [[2010 IPC Swimming World Championships|2006 Durban]] | 5 km open water}}
{{MedalGold | [[2010 IPC Swimming World Championships|2010 Eindhoven]] | 100 m butterfly S9}}
{{MedalGold | [[2010 IPC Swimming World Championships|2010 Eindhoven]] | 100 m freestyle S9}}
{{MedalGold | [[2010 IPC Swimming World Championships|2010 Eindhoven]] | 400 m freestyle S9}}
{{MedalGold | [[2010 IPC Swimming World Championships|2010 Eindhoven]] | 200 m medley SM9}}
{{MedalGold | [[2010 IPC Swimming World Championships|2010 Eindhoven]] | 100 m backstroke S9}}
{{MedalGold | [[2010 IPC Swimming World Championships|2010 Eindhoven]] | 5 km open water S1-10}}
{{MedalSilver | [[2010 IPC Swimming World Championships|2010 Eindhoven]] | 50 m freestyle S9}}
{{MedalBronze | [[2010 IPC Swimming World Championships|2010 Eindhoven]] | 100 m breaststroke SB8}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[All-Africa Games]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[2003 All-Africa Games|2003 Abuja]] | 800 m Freestyle}}
{{MedalGold | [[2007 All-Africa Games|2007 Algiers]] | 1500 m Freestyle}}
{{MedalGold | [[2011 All-Africa Games|2011 Maputo]] | 100 m freestyle S6-S10}}
{{MedalGold | [[2011 All-Africa Games|2011 Maputo]] | 100 m backstroke S6-S10}}
{{MedalGold | [[2011 All-Africa Games|2011 Maputo]] | 200 m individual medley S6-S10}}{{MedalCompetition|[[Commonwealth Games]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[2002 Commonwealth Games|2002 Manchester]] | 50 m freestyle EAD}}
{{MedalGold | [[2002 Commonwealth Games|2002 Manchester]] | 100 m freestyle EAD}}
{{MedalGold | [[2006 Commonwealth Games|2006 Melbourne]] | 50 m freestyle EAD}}
{{MedalGold | [[2006 Commonwealth Games|2006 Melbourne]] | 100 m freestyle EAD}}
{{MedalGold | [[2010 Commonwealth Games|2010 Delhi]] | 50 m freestyle EAD}}
{{MedalGold | [[2010 Commonwealth Games|2010 Delhi]] | 100 m freestyle EAD}}
{{MedalGold | [[2010 Commonwealth Games|2010 Delhi]] | 100 m butterfly EAD}}
}}
'''Natalie du Toit''' [[Order of Ikhamanga|OIG]] [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]] ({{IPAc-en|d|ᵿ|ˈ|t|ɔɪ}};{{efn|Interview with Natalie du Toit, "African Voices", aired 14 May 2011 on [[CNN International]].  Her name is said several times by an announcer (but not by du Toit herself).}} born 29 January 1984) is a South African [[swimmer]]. She is best known for the gold medals she won at the [[2004 Paralympic Games]] as well as the [[Commonwealth Games]]. She was one of two Paralympians to compete at the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] in Beijing; the other being table tennis player [[Natalia Partyka]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oandp.com/articles/2008-10_06.asp |title=Two Paralympians Competed in Olympics |date= October 2008 |work=The O&P EDGE |access-date=2012-08-28}}</ref> Du Toit became the third amputee ever to qualify for the [[Olympics]], where she placed 16th in the 10&nbsp;km swim.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/05/04/sbswim104.xml |title=Sport |work=The Telegraph|access-date=2012-08-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706000048/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fsport%2F2008%2F05%2F04%2Fsbswim104.xml |archive-date=6 July 2008}}</ref>{{efn|[[George Eyser]], who had a wooden leg, competed at the [[1904 Summer Olympics]]; the circumstances of Eyser's participation in the Games are unknown. Poland's [[Natalia Partyka]] also competed at both the Olympics and the Paralympics in Beijing, in table tennis.}}

==Early life==
Du Toit was born in [[Cape Town|Cape Town, South Africa]] and attended Timour Hall Primary school. She began competing internationally in swimming at the age of 14. In February 2001, her left leg was [[amputation|amputated]] at the knee after she was hit by a car while riding her [[Scooter (motorcycle)|scooter]] back to school after swimming practice. She was 17 at the time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nataliedutoit.com/ |title=Natalie Du Toit |date=2010-03-10 |access-date=2012-08-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206012205/http://www.nataliedutoit.com/ |archive-date=6 February 2012}}</ref> Three months later, before she had started walking again, she was back in the pool with the intention of competing in the [[2002 Commonwealth Games]]. Du Toit swims without the aid of a prosthetic limb.

She completed her scholastic education at the [[Reddam House]], Cape Town after which she studied for a [[Bachelor degree|Bachelor of Science degree]] at the [[University of Cape Town]], specializing in [[genetics]] and [[physiology]]. In her free time she does motivational speaking.

==Swimming career==
<ref>{{Cite web |title=Natalie du Toit {{!}} Achievements, Accident, Biography, & Facts {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Natalie-du-Toit |access-date=2024-11-14 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> Du Toit first competed internationally at the age of 14, when she took part in the [[1998 Commonwealth Games]] in [[Kuala Lumpur]]. During the 2002 Commonwealth Games in [[Manchester]], Du Toit, who was then 18 years old, won both the multi-disability 50 m freestyle and the multi-disability 100 m freestyle in world record time. She also made sporting history by qualifying for the 800 m able-bodied freestyle final – the first time that an athlete with a disability had qualified for the final of an able-bodied event. At the closing of the Manchester Commonwealth Games, she was presented with the first [[David Dixon Award]] for Outstanding Athlete of the Games.

In 2003, competing against able-bodied swimmers, Du Toit won gold in the 800 metres freestyle at the [[All-Africa Games]] as well as silver in the 800 metres freestyle and bronze in the 400 metres freestyle at the [[Afro-Asian Games]].

She narrowly missed qualifying for the [[Olympic Games|Olympics]] in [[Athens]] in 2004, but during the Paralympics that were held in the same city, she won one silver and five gold medals. In the same year, her courage and achievements were acknowledged with a nomination for the [[Laureus World Sports Awards|Laureus World Sportsperson]] of the Year 2004 with Disability Award. At the [[2006 Commonwealth Games]] she repeated her previous performance by winning the same two golds as she had in Manchester. In 2006 Du Toit also won six gold medals at the fourth IPC World Swimming Championships, finishing third overall in a race which included 36 males and 20 females.

On 3 May 2008, Du Toit qualified for the 2008 [[2008 Summer Olympics|Beijing Olympics]] after finishing fourth in the 10&nbsp;km open water race at the Open Water World Championships in [[Seville, Spain]]. Her time was only 5.1 seconds off the winner in a race that made its first Olympic appearance in Beijing.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/olympics/swimming/news/story?id=3379722 |title=Du Toit, who lost leg in scooter accident, will swim in Beijing Games  |work=ESPN |date=2008-05-03 |access-date=2012-08-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081025164859/http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/swimming/news/story?id=3379722|archive-date=2008-10-25|url-status=live}}</ref> At the Beijing Olympics [[Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's marathon 10 kilometre|women's 10 km race]], she finished in 16th place, 1:22.2 minutes behind the winner. She also took part in the [[2008 Summer Paralympics]], winning five gold medals.<ref>{{Cite web | title = Du Toit to make history at Games | work = BBC | date = 13 June 2008 | access-date = 2017-11-04 | url = https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/swimming/7386893.stm }}</ref>

On 27 August 2012, just three days before the start of the [[2012 Summer Paralympics]], she announced her intention to retire at the end of the event.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sabc.co.za/wps/portal/SABC/SABCARTICLE?id=a88cf5004c801065bc1ebf7dedd74c7c&page_from=sport |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304110459/http://www.sabc.co.za/wps/portal/SABC/SABCARTICLE?id=a88cf5004c801065bc1ebf7dedd74c7c&page_from=sport |url-status=dead |archive-date=2016-03-04 |title=SABC |publisher=SABC |access-date=2012-08-28}}</ref>

==2008 Olympic and Paralympic opening ceremonies==
South Africa's [[Olympic Committee]] chose Du Toit to carry their flag at the [[2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony]], making her the first athlete to carry a flag in both Olympics and [[2008 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony|Paralympics]] in a single year.<ref>{{Cite web | title = Amputee to fly SA's Olympic flag | work = BBC | date = 8 August 2008 | access-date = 2017-11-04 | url = https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7549034.stm }}</ref>

==Major sporting achievements==
*200 m SM9 individual medley swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2012)
*100 m S9 butterfly swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2012)
*400 m S9 freestyle swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2012)
*100 m S9 freestyle swimming silver medal – Paralympics (2012)
*100 m S9 freestyle swimming gold medal – Commonwealth Games (2010)
*100 m S9 butterfly swimming gold medal – Commonwealth Games (2010)
*50 m S9 freestyle swimming gold medal – Commonwealth Games (2010)
*50 m S9 freestyle swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2008)
*400 m S9 freestyle swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2008)
*200 m SM9 individual medley swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2008)
*100 m S9 freestyle swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2008)
*100 m S9 butterfly swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2008)
*100 m freestyle swimming EAD (multi-disability) gold – Commonwealth Games (2006)
*50 m freestyle swimming EAD (multi-disability) gold – Commonwealth Games (2006)
*100 m S9 backstroke swimming silver medal – Paralympics (2004)
*100 m S9 butterfly swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2004)
*100 m S9 freestyle swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2004)
*200 m SM9 individual medley swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2004)
*400 m S9 freestyle swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2004)
*50 m S9 freestyle swimming gold medal – Paralympics (2004)
*800 m freestyle swimming gold medal – All-Africa Games (2003)
*800 m freestyle swimming silver medal – Afro-Asian Games (2003)
*400 m freestyle swimming bronze medal – Afro-Asian Games (2003)
*[[David Dixon Award]] for outstanding athlete – Commonwealth Games (2002)
*100 m freestyle swimming EAD (multi-disability) gold – Commonwealth Games (2002)
*50 m freestyle swimming EAD (multi-disability) gold – Commonwealth Games (2002)

==Awards and honours==
<!-- "Honours" is the correct spelling. This article is written in South African English - not American. -->
* In August 2002, she was awarded the [[Western Cape Golden Cross]]. During the award ceremony Western Cape Premier [[Marthinus van Schalkwyk]] said she had gone "beyond gold and swam her way into the hearts of not only South Africans but the whole world".<ref>{{Cite web | title = Natalie du Toit gets gold again | last = Ajam | first = Kashiefa | work = Cape Argus | date = 26 August 2002 | access-date = 2017-11-04 | url = https://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/sport/natalie-du-toit-gets-gold-again-516523 }}</ref>
* Du Toit was voted 48th in the [[SABC3's Great South Africans|Top 100 Great South Africans]] in 2004 by the [[SABC|South African Broadcasting Corporation]]. 
* She won the [[Whang Youn Dai Achievement Award]] in 2008.
* In December 2009 she received the [[Order of Ikhamanga]] in Gold "for her exceptional achievements in swimming."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=nw20091202221846636C634040 |title=Makeba chosen for Order of Ikhamanga |work=IOL.co.za |date=2009-12-02 |access-date=2012-08-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091206035815/https://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=nw20091202221846636C634040|archive-date=2009-12-06|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* On 10 March 2010, she was awarded the [[Laureus World Sports Awards|Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability]] for "breaking down the barriers between disabled and able-bodied sport".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.laureus.com/press_releases?article_id=1975 |title=Press releases |publisher=Laureus |access-date=2012-08-28}}</ref>
*In [[2013 Special Honours|2013]], she was made an [[Honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire]] (MBE) for services to Paralympic sport.<ref name=Honorary>[https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/419319/2013_Honorary_Awards_-_Final.pdf Honorary appointments]</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of multiple Paralympic gold medalists#Most gold medals in one sport|Athletes with most gold medals in one event at the Paralympic Games]]
*[[List of athletes who have competed in the Paralympics and Olympics]]
*[[2008 Summer Olympics national flag bearers]]
*[[List of flag bearers for South Africa at the Olympics]]
*[[2008 Summer Paralympics national flag bearers]]
*[[George Eyser]]
*[[Olivér Halassy]]
*[[Natalia Partyka]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Natalie du Toit {{!}} Achievements, Accident, Biography, & Facts {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Natalie-du-Toit |access-date=2024-11-14 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>

==External links==
* [https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1819129_1819134_1826063,00.html "Natalie du Toit", n°100 on ''Time'''s list of "100 Olympic Athletes To Watch"]
* {{IPC athlete|natalie-du-toit|Natalie Du Toit|old_id=435520|name=Natalie du Toit}}

{{S-start}}
{{s-ach}}
{{succession box
| before = {{flagicon|CAN}} [[Valérie Grand'Maison]]
| title = [[World Disabled Swimmers of the Year|World Disabled Swimmer of the Year]]
| years = 2008
| after = {{flagicon|USA}} [[Mallory Weggemann]]
}}
{{succession box
| before = {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Daniel Dias]]
| title = [[Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability|Laureus World Sportsperson with a Disability of the Year]]
| years = 2010
| after = {{flagicon|GER}} [[Verena Bentele]]
}}
{{s-sports|oly}}
{{succession box
| before = [[Alexander Heath]]
| title = [[List of flag bearers for South Africa at the Olympics|Flagbearer]] for {{RSA}}
| years = [[2008 Summer Olympics|Beijing 2008]]
| after = [[Oliver Kraas]]
}}
{{S-end}}{{Footer Paralympic Champions 400 m Freestyle Women}}{{Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Du Toit, Natalie}}
[[Category:1984 births]]
[[Category:African Games gold medalists for South Africa]]
[[Category:Afrikaner people]]
[[Category:Amputee-category Paralympic competitors]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for South Africa]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists in swimming]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 2003 All-Africa Games]]
[[Category:South African female backstroke swimmers]]
[[Category:South African female butterfly swimmers]]
[[Category:South African female freestyle swimmers]]
[[Category:Female long-distance swimmers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2004 Summer Paralympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2008 Summer Paralympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2012 Summer Paralympics]]
[[Category:Olympic swimmers for South Africa]]
[[Category:Paralympic gold medalists for South Africa]]
[[Category:Paralympic silver medalists for South Africa]]
[[Category:Paralympic swimmers for South Africa]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of Ikhamanga]]
[[Category:S9-classified para swimmers]]
[[Category:South African amputees]]
[[Category:South African female swimmers]]
[[Category:Swimmers from Cape Town]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 2002 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 2004 Summer Paralympics]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 2006 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 2008 Summer Paralympics]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 2010 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 2012 Summer Paralympics]]
[[Category:University of Cape Town alumni]]
[[Category:World record holders in paralympic swimming]]
[[Category:Medalists at the World Para Swimming Championships]]
[[Category:Paralympic medalists in swimming]]
[[Category:Alumni of Wynberg Girls' High School]]
[[Category:Honorary members of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 2002 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 2006 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 2010 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:21st-century South African sportswomen]]
[[Category:African Games gold medalists in swimming]]