Du Toit strikes gold in pool

Maputo - South African paralympic swimmer Natalie du Toit clinched her first gold medal in Maputo, Mozambique, on Thursday in her final All Africa Games.

It was the first day of the paralympic events in the swimming pool and South Africa’s swimmers were worth their weight in medals, claiming six golds, five silvers and four bronzes.

Du Toit won the 100m freestyle in 1:03.24 and was joined on the podium by compatriots Shireen Sapiro, second in 1:07.62, and Emily Gray, third in 1:08.77.

In the men’s 100m freestyle S6-S10, South Africa also dominated on the podium with Kevin Paul first in 55.44 seconds, Achmat Hassiem second in 55.44 and Kevin Waller third place in 1:02.92.

The 27-year-old Du Toit said she had come full circle since participating in her first continental Games in Johannesburg in 1999, before the accident which claimed her leg.

She represented South Africa at the Games in Abuja, Nigeria in 2003 and Algiers, Algeria in 2007 as a paralympic athlete.

South African breaststroke specialist Suzaan van Biljon was once again in fine form and comfortably won the women’s 100m breaststroke in 1:10.40, to take her fourth gold medal.

Veteran Mandy Loots beat Zimbabwe's Kirsty Coventry in the women’s 100m butterfly for her third medal.

The gold medal had eluded her earlier in the competition, but she won it in emphatic style on Thursday, touching first in 59.86 seconds.

Coventry finished behind her in 1:02.20, with Bianca Meyer taking bronze in 1:03.14.

In the men’s 400m freestyle, Ahmed Mathloudi of Tunisia opened a two metre gap between him and the South African duo of Riaan Schoeman and Mark Randall.

The Tunisian was never troubled as he finished in 3:54.03 with Schoeman second in 3:58.49, and Randall third in 3:59.82.

In the women’s 800m freestyle, Roxanne Tammadge and Rene D’Warnes stayed together for most of the race.

However, Tammadge pulled away in the latter part of the race to secure the gold medal in 8:54.64, with D’Warnes taking silver in 8:59.23.

Commonwealth and world short course gold medallist Chad Le Clos struggled in the 200m breaststroke, finishing fifth in 2:20.83.

He soon found a place on the podium, though, as part of the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay team, which won the gold medal in the final event of the evening.

The quartet consisted of Leith Shankland, Le Clos, Gideon Louw and Darian Townsend.