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Du Toit nominated for Laureus Sporting Moment of the last 20 years

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Natalie du Toit (Getty Images)
Natalie du Toit (Getty Images)

Cape Town - Former Paralympic medallist Natalie du Toit has been nominated for the Laureus Sporting Moment of the last 20 years.

This year's Laureus World Sports Awards will celebrate 20 years of the prestigious accolades being awarded to sports stars.

In honour of its anniversary, Laureus has narrowed down 20 of the best sporting moments over the past 20 years.

"The Laureus Sporting Moment Award celebrates moments where sport has unified people in the most extraordinary way, demonstrating how sport has the power to change the world," Laureus stated on their website.

In 2001, Du Toit was severely injured in a car crash, where she was forced to have her left leg amputated at the knee.

Three months after the accident, she returned to the pool determined to compete in the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

Against all odds, Du Toit stunned to win two golds at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

Du Toit made history by becoming the first female amputee swimmer ever to qualify for the able-bodied Olympics in Beijing in 2008.

Du Toit, who retired after the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games, has an impressive Paralympic record, winning 13 golds and 2 silvers.

There will be three knock-out rounds, with the Top 20 moments whittled down to 10 then five, with the Top 5 going head-to-head with the winner being revealed at the Laureus Awards in Berlin on February 17.

Fans can vote online on the Laureus website from January 10-February 16.

Laureus' Sporting Moments over 20 years:

Matthias Steiner (Austria)

Natalie du Toit (South Africa)

Sachin Tendulkar (India)

Chapecoense football team

Miroslav Klose (Germany)

Cathy Freeman (Australia)

Barcelona's under-12 football team

Elizabeth Marks (USA)

Refugee Olympic Team

Alistair Brownlee and Jonny Brownlee (England)

Japan national football team

Nick Butter (England)

Venus Williams (USA)

Bethany Hamilton (USA)

Michael and Mick Schumacher (Germany)

Brett Lee (Australia) and Andrew Flintoff (England)

Alex Zanardi (Italy)

Sky Brown (England)

J.J. Watt (USA)

Xia Boyu (China)

- Compiled by Lynn Butler

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