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Natalie du Toit of South Africa touches the finish line in the women's 50m freestyle S9 final yesterday to win her fifth gold medal of the Games. [Agencies]
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With five gold and four world records, South African sensation Natalie du Toit completed a perfect Beijing Paralympics yesterday by repeating her Athens successes.
Amid the deafening cheers of thousands of supporters at the Water Cub last night, du Toit took the lead in the final 10m to win gold in the 50m freestyle S9 class.
In her final race of the meet, she clocked a personal best 29.20 sec to narrowly win by 0.13 sec.
"I was really nervous this time because I knew it was going to be very tight," she told The Paralympian.
"I really enjoyed my last race, as the Chinese (spectators) are amazing and they really supported me," she added.
In the previous seven days, the 24-year-old has bagged four gold and set four new world records in the 100m butterfly and freestyle, as well as the 200m individual medley and 400m freestyle.
"I think now it is more relief than thinking about the five gold medals. I can relax when everything comes right," du Toit said.
The famous swimmer was also one of just two athletes to compete in both the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics, along with Polish table tennis player Natalia Partyka.
In last month's gala, she finished 16th among 25 able-bodied swimmers in the grueling 10km open-water marathon swim.
Du Toit was a promising swimmer who began competing internationally at the age of 14.
When she lost a leg in the wake of a 2001 motorcycle accident she refused to let it derail her swimming career.
A year after the injury, she finished 8th in the 800m freestyle at the (able-bodied) 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games.
"It's been a dream of mine to get to the Olympics for 18 years and I was able to do that here in Beijing, with the Paralympics as well," du Toit said.
After a well-earned rest, she will turn her attention to the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games.
"I'm really going for it in London. I want to get a top 10 in the Olympics (women's marathon 10km) and I'll be back for the Paralympics as well."