The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has announced its list of eight for January’s Athlete of the Month following a busy month of sport which included two World Championships with Sestriere, Italy having hosted the IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships and Christchurch, New Zealand staged the IPC Athletics World Championships.
The shortlist this month takes into account a number of gold medal winning performances from two of the biggest events in the Paralympic calendar.
The list includes:
- David Weir, the British athlete won three gold medals out of three races and also claimed the 800m, 1,500m and 5,000m world titles;
- Terezinha Guilhermina, Brazil’s visually impaired athlete left Christchurch with four gold medals including the 100m, 200m, 400m and Women’s 4x100m T11-13 relay. In addition she broke her own 100m World record and smashed the 10-year-old 200m world record;
- Michelle Stilwell, of Canada won three gold medals setting championship records in the 100m, 200m and 400m and also won silver in the 800m;
- Tatyana McFadden, with four gold medals in the 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m, as well as bronze in the 100m, and two championship records;
- Jerome Singleton, the U.S. athlete will go down in history as the first man in 7 years to inflict defeat on South African Oscar Pistorius over 100m. He also won silver medals in the 200m or Men’s 4x100m relay T42-46;
- Henrieta Farkasova, the Slovakian Alpine Skier claimed four gold medals and one bronze medal;
- Yon Santacana, the Spaniard and his guide Miguel Galindo were hard to beat in Sestriere, claiming three gold medals and two silver medals; and
- Vincent Gauthier-Manuel, won four gold medals and two silver medals making him the top medalist at the 2011 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships in Sestriere, Italy.
All members of the public are invited to vote for the athletes, based on who they believe deserves the title via www.facebook.com/Paralympicsport.TV. The deadline for votes is Feb. 6, 2011.
