A South African athlete and 2020 Tokyo Paralympics Games gold medallist, Pieter du Preez scooped the sportsman of the year with a disability award at the 2022 South African Sports Awards.
This year’s event, which aims to recognise and honour individuals and teams who have excelled both on and off the field, was held in Durban International Convention Centre on March 12.
The Sunninghill resident said he hoped his win will inspire other people with different disabilities not to give up on their dreams.
“It was the fifth time I had been nominated for this but had never won the award. I’m incredibly humbled to receive this among so many great sporting achievements by others. It is also great for me to show other people with disabilities and especially quadriplegics who have so little function like I do that you can achieve greatness if you go out and live it the best you can,” Du Preez said.
Du Preez won a gold medal in the Men’s H1 cycling at the 2020 Paralympics held in Japan last year.
“A big part of this goes to those who’ve been on the journey with me. It would have been impossible for me to win this award without them. A huge thank you goes to the minister of sports, Nathi Mthethwa and his team as well as SASCOC [South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee] for hosting the awards and celebrating the amazing South African athletes we have.”
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