August 06 2002 at 02:39PM

One-legged South African swimming sensation Natalie du Toit, who made history at the Commonwealth Games with her pioneering swim against her able-bodied peers, arrived home on Tuesday to a crowd of cheering supporters.

The 18-year old, named the outstanding athlete of the Manchester Commonwealth Games, won two gold medals as a disabled competitor, but drew spectators’ attention and admiration when she reached the 800m final against able-bodied athletes.

“Manchester was brilliant, the crowd was fantastic, but it is really great just to be back home,” she told reporters at the airport in between signing autographs for admiring supporters.

A crowd of about 100 people had gathered to greet returning South African athletes at the airport, with onlookers applauding and singing the nation’s sporting song, “Sho Sho Loza”.

Du Toit said she hoped her performance, which placed her last in the final but was only two seconds slower than her time in the 1999 Pan-Pacific championships, would help her mount a challenge for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

“It is going to help me get on and make the Olympics,” she said, adding that she did not want the motorcycling accident in which she lost part of her left leg last year to interfere with her swimming goals.

“I just want to be the same person as I was before the accident,” she said. “Hopefully I can go on and do something for disabled sport.”