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Natalie in demand in Athens
Athens - Natalie du Toit hasn't yet swum a stroke in her gruelling competition schedule at the Athens Paralympics, and already the leg-amputee from Cape Town is in heavy demand for interviews from international media.
The South African team management has been flooded with media requests for Du Toit interviews from television and newspaper representatives from around the globe.
The protective instinct within the South African camp, however, is to shield their star swimmer from pre-competition pressure so that she can focus on her competition build-up.
But they don't come more serene than the 20-year-old who found herself pacifying family and friends in hospital after she lost her right leg in a scooter accident in 2000.
"Oh, no problem, let them come and speak to me," said Du Toit before training at the Aquatic Centre on Tuesday.
"You know, it's great in a way to have that kind of exposure and I don't mean for myself. It's great four our team and our country to get our name out there and it always helps to pull in sponsors for the team."
Such is the measure of Du Toit's modest nature that she thinks for the good of the team, even though she has been earmarked to emerge as a shining star among the Paralympians.
Du Toit still has her heart set on gaining her place in the 800m in the Olympic team to Beijing in 2008. But right now she is set to swim her heart out in seven events at the Paralympics, and, although she is loathe to admit it, she has a real chance of bringing seven golds home.
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