Athens - Natalie du Toit continued her historical golden trail through the water at the Athens Paralympics with a stunning world record victory in the 400m freestyle on Friday night after Tadgh Slattery added yet another gold to South Africa's coffers in the 100m breaststroke.
The Cape Town leg amputee left the field way back as she powered to a staggering 4min 28,09 that added to the 100 butterfly (world record), 100 freestyle (Paralympic record) and world record 200 IM that she has won this week.
Du Toit's record-breaking performances in Athens - her 400m on Friday night lopped 7.06sec off her previous world mark set in Johannesburg last year - have marked her as the swimming phenomenon of these Games.
And she still has the 100 backstroke on Saturday and the 50 freestyle on Sunday. "This has truly been a fantastic experience for me," said Du Toit.
"My team-mates, the crowds, everything has been wonderful. I'm really much stronger in the longer distances. But I've improved my times here, and who could ask for more than that?"
Could go faster
Du Toit said she could still go faster. "I started slow and my first turn was too quick. But I'm happy with the record. It was awesome. I'm getting a bit tired now, so I'm not hoping for much in the backstroke tomorrow."
Canada's Stephanie Dixon finished a full length behind Du Toit in 4:46,57, followed by Christiane Reppe of Germany (4:59,91).
Du Toit, who lost her leg in a scooter accident just after the 2000 Sydney Olympics, has still not given up her dream of making it as an Olympian swimmer to Beijing 2008.
Judging by her quality as an athlete, her grit and her positive attitude, chances are improving all the time that she will close the eight second gap on the Olympic qualifying time in the next four years.
Du Toit took things easy in her morning heat, and still set a Paralympic record of 4:43,66sec.
Du Toit and Slattery brought SA's gold medal count to 11, and Phillippa Johnson won South Africa's eighth silver medal in equestrian competition. Ernst van Dyk, in the 5000m wheelchair race, added a second bronze to South Africa's coffers.
