LONDON, UK (ANS) -- South Africa's multiple Paralympic champion Natalie du Toit is aiming for an astonishing seven golden medals at the London Olympics when she jumps in the pool for her last major international event.

South Africa's Natalie du Toit sits on the blocks before the start of her 800m freestyle heat at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England

The 28-year-old from Cape Town, whose story of courage in the face of a major setback has inspired millions, will take part in seven events in her third Paralympics.

She is aiming to go out with a bang, performing in the 50m, 100m and 400m freestyle, 200m individual medley, 100m backstroke and two categories in the 100m butterfly.

She first came to prominence when she represented South Africa as a swimmer at the Commonwealth Games at Kuala Lumpur in 1998 as a shy 14-year old.

In 2001, her left leg had to be amputated when a car drove out of a parking area into her in Cape Town while she was riding her scooter to school just after she had finished swimming practice.

Most people expected Natalie to quit swimming and blame fate for her ill luck, but that was not the case.

“I just wanted to get back in the pool again, because it felt like two days had gone by, and for me to stay out of the water for two days is a long time.”

Exactly 124 days after her accident, she was competing against able-bodied swimmers in the Western Province winter gala.

Natalie du Toit of South Africa with one of her gold medals during the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games

In 2002, Natalie made history swimming in the 800 m freestyle-able-bodied final at the Commonwealth Games and was awarded the David Dixon award for outstanding athlete of the tournament.

Du Toit won gold in the 800 m freestyle at the All-Africa Games in 2003 while competing against able-bodied swimmers.

She narrowly missed qualification for the Olympics in Athens in 2004, but during the Paralympics that were held in the same city, she won one silver and five gold medals.

Now she tackles her last Games with 10 gold medals behind her name, having won a further five in Beijing and carried the South Africa flag in both the Olympics and Paralympics.

Du Toit made history at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester by becoming the first para-athlete to qualify for the 800m freestyle final fornon-disabled swimmers. She finished eighth.

In 2006, Du Toit won an astonishing six gold medals at the fourth IPC World swimming championships. Even more incredible, reported the Wikipedia Free encyclopedia, the South African champion managed to finish third overall in a race which included 36 males and 20 females.

She then became the first-ever amputee to qualify for an Olympic event when she swam in the 10km open water race in Beijing. She was however disappointed with her performance, having finished 16th out of 24.
Her bubbly personality has made her popular with fans and journalists alike - and her story inspires many.

Du Toit holds a degree in sports management at the University of Cape Town, her home town, regularly performing as public speaker and sharing her story to encourage self-confidence in others.

The young Cape Town-based athlete is a humble, no-frills person. She is almost a living example of that Nike slogan: Just do it.

Natalie speaking at an event

When asked who she speaks to and what she tells people during motivational speaking sessions, she says: “I have been to prisons, to churches, to companies, to schools, primary and high.

“My message isn’t just about disability. It’s about going out there and believing in yourself, setting goals, having dreams. It is difficult to do: if your life is all the good things and there are some bad things, to get through those patches and just to carry on with life,” she says.

Natalie believes God has enabled her to overcome the trauma and shock of that horrific accident in February 2001 and she is moving forward with Him constantly by her side.

Despite the pain of the accident, and struggle and concentration required to simply move around with a prosthesis, Natalie believes everything happens for a reason, accepting her situation and getting on with life the best way she can.

She has never blamed God; instead she says that if it had not been for her trust in God, she does not know how she would have coped.

There is one thing that is firmer than her strong ambitions and that is her faith in the love of God and His goodness. She says, “Of course, I have days when I am sad and emotional, but God helps me through those times.”

Nico Bougas is the International Development Director for Hellenic Ministries. He has a master's degree in communication from Wheaton Graduate School and M. Div and D. Min degrees from Trinity Theological Seminary. He is the author of five books. He previously worked for Youth for Christ in South Africa and was Editor of In Magazine and Christian Living TODAY and currently serves as Consulting Editor for JOY Magazine and is on the Board of Trutees for Radio CCFM and was one of the founders of Sports Outreach Africa. And previously served on the national executive of the SA Association of Evangelists and as a Trustee for the Bible Institute of South Africa and on the advisory board for the South African Theological Seminary and on the executive of The Evangelical Alliance Relief Fund (SA). For further, information contact: nico@bougas.info