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KHALID A-H ANSARI |
She didn't finish where she would have liked in her event.
But, in the eyes of other competitors, just taking part was awesome.
After her victory in the event Larisa Ilchenko of Russia said: "I'd even go so far as to award her a separate medal. I have enormous respect for her. It is exceedingly hard. Just looking at these people inspires you."
Cassandra Patten of the USA, who won the bronze medal said: "I find it hard, and I'm a completely able-bodied person. She's an amazing role model."
Du Toit, who was flag bearer of the South African contingent at the Opening Ceremony, was among the leaders for most of the race but fell back toward the end of the punishing 10km open ordeal, in which there are no flips and turns, and the upper body is more important than the legs.
She finished 1 min 22.2sec behind the winner in 2 hr, 49min, 9sec, but ahead of nine others, including 16-year old Chloe Sutton, who broke down in pain and tears after the race.
Not too happy
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Gritty South African swimmer Natalie du Toit. |
"I've got to get faster," Du Toit said. "The race will obviously improve. This is the first time they have swum it at the Olympics. It's going to get faster and faster."
The open water marathon is often called wrestling in the water because of its rough tactics.
Du Toit's coach Karoly von Toros said before the event, which is the equivalent of the road marathon and has been included in the Olympics for the first time: "They won't make it easy for her.
"They will be banging and pushing. There is no respect for her disability. She doesn't even want it."
By her own confession, Du Toit "gets hit more than I dish out â I've had a few more blue eyes than the others."
Competitors in the event are known to routinely elbow, pull, duck and push.
(According to Xinhua news agency: "There was a lot of crying, hugging and bitter words exchanged after the contentious event, similar to wrestling in water).
Toros says that, as an arms swimmer, his ward has to work harder than others toward the end of the race when competitors start using their legs to pull away from the pack.
However, he was confident before the Games that the weeks of intense training, and the five hours of training she put in every day during two weeks of acclimatization in Korea, would help.
De Toit spends a lot of time giving motivational talks to schools, companies and churches in South Africa.
*****
Another inspirational saga from the Beijing Olympics is that of 27-year-old Dutchman Maarten van der Weijden, who won the gold in the inaugural 10km swim for men, ahead of Britain's David Davies and Thomas Lura of Germany.
Diagnosed with leukemia in 2001, Weijden underwent a stem cell transplant and recovered. He says his battle with cancer gave him the mental strength needed for the closing stages of the gruelling marathon swim.
Next hour
"I think leukemia has taught me to think step by step. When you are lying in the hospital bed and feeling so drained and feeling so much pain and feeling so tired, you don't want to think about next month or next week.
All you are thinking about is the next hour.
"It taught me just to be patient, lie and bed and just wait. I think that's almost the same strategy I used here. To stay in the pack, be patient and stay easy, waiting for the chance.
"I have struggled so much in life and to have a victory seven years ahead, of course, that's awesome."
Weijden slept in an altitude tent since the start of this year as part of his Olympics preparation.
(With inputs from agency reports)
