CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - One-legged South African swimmer Natalie du Toit will continue her quest in June to compete at the Athens Olympics after failing to qualify at her recent national championships.Du Toit's manager Dave Rundle told Reuters Tuesday the 20-year-old would compete at two meets in Calais in France and Barcelona, Spain in June in a bid to better South Africa's qualifying mark for able-bodied swimmers in the 800m freestyle.
"It has always been her dream (to compete at the Olympic Games) and it will always be her dream... she believes she has the ability to get there, and it is in her nature to keep going," Rundle said.
Du Toit's time of 9.01 during the trials earlier this week was more than 20 seconds off the qualifying time for Athens. The time was based on the eighth fastest time at the 2000 Olympics.
Du Toit -- whose lower left leg was amputated after she was knocked off her scooter by a car in 2001 -- has become a role model for disabled and able-bodied people alike.
She captured the world's attention at the 2002 Commonwealth Games when she qualified for the final of the 800m freestyle for able-bodied swimmers, and has been nominated for one of May's prestigious Laureus awards -- the Oscars of sport.
South African officials have stressed that no-one would be chosen for the Olympic team unless they qualified legitimately.
