Receives the David Dixon Award on 4 August 2002 as the outstanding athlete of the Manchester Commonwealth Games.
On the closing day of the 2002 Commonwealth Games, 4 August 2002, Natalie du Toit received the prestigious David Dixon Award. This honor, presented at the Games’ closing ceremony, recognizes the outstanding athlete of the Games based on performance, fair play and overall contribution to the spirit of the event.
Du Toit’s selection reflected not only her two world‑record victories in disability freestyle events and her silver medal in the able‑bodied 800 m freestyle, but also the inspiration she provided to spectators, competitors and officials. According to later summaries, she was chosen from the entire pool of Commonwealth athletes, making her achievement especially notable for a para‑sport competitor just one year after an amputation.
The award had broader symbolic importance. In an era when para‑athletes were often confined to separate recognition structures, honoring du Toit with the Games’ premier athlete award affirmed that her performances were among the very best of the entire competition, regardless of disability status. It marked a turning point in how integrated achievements were celebrated and helped establish du Toit as a global figure in both Paralympic and mainstream sporting communities.