Stellenbosch University student Charl du Toit received yet another accolade this weekend when he was crowned Sportsman of the Year with a Disability at the SA Sports Awards on Sunday.
His training partner Ilse Hayes was named Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability for the second year in a row while yet another member of the Stellenbosch-based training group, Dyan Buis, received the Shield of Jove Award for his performances at the Paralympic Games. The shield is awarded to the most prolific and deserving athletes who have excelled at the Olympic/Paralympics Games respectively. Wayde van Niekerk received a Shield of Jove Award for his performance at the Olympic Games.
"As a disabled athlete I'm very proud to hold this award," said Buis. I'm a big patriot and to receive this award is very special. I'm very humbled and very proud."
Maties Parasport athletes completely dominated the categories for sportsmen and sportswomen with disabilities.
The three nominees in the category for Sportsman of the Year with a Disability were Du Toit, Buis and Reinhardt Hamman.
Du Toit, who is studying towards an honours degree in education management at SU, won two gold medals at the Paralympic Games in Rio – the 100m and 400m in the T37 class. He also set a new world record in the 100m and a new Paralympic record in the 400m.
Buis, Du Toit's training partner and also an honours student in the Faculty of Education, won gold in the 400m (T38) and bronze in the long jump. Reinhardt Hamman, a first-time Paralympian, won a gold medal in the javelin event (T38).
After receiving his award, Du Toit said he is very proud to be an ambassador for people with disabilities.
The three nominees in the category for Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability were Hayes, Anruné Liebenberg and Zanele Situ.
Hayes, who competed in her fourth and last Paralympic Games, won two silver medals (100m and 400m, T13). In total, she has won seven medals at four Paralympic Games – two gold, four silver and one bronze.
Liebenberg, Hayes' training partner and roommate in Rio, also won a silver medal – in the 400m (T47). Situ, who competed in her fifth Olympic Games and was the flag-bearer for South Africa at the opening ceremony, won a bronze medal in the javelin event (F54).
Du Toit, Buis, Hayes and Liebenberg all form part of a training group coached by Dr Suzanne Ferreira in Stellenbosch. She was nominated in the category for Coach of the Year.
As registered students of SU, student-athletes Du Toit, Buis and Liebenberg are also IMAS bursary holders. IMAS is an acronym for Integrated Medicine and Science. This bursary is awarded by the High Performance Unit situated within Maties Sport and focuses on creating a support structure for these athletes with the aim of enhancing their performance.
Ilhaam Groenewald, Chief Director: Maties Sport, thanked the Maties Parasport athletes for being excellent ambassadors for South Africa, Stellenbosch University and Maties Sport.
"These athletes represent the top tier of excellence. Our respect and admiration for them are indescribable and we salute them."
Wentzel Barnard, Manager of the Maties Parasport Club, is very proud and added that Maties Parasport is definitely a force to be reckoned with in South Africa.
