On Wednesday, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) announced the athletes, teams and officials nominated to compete in the 5^th edition of the Paralympic Sport Awards. On 23 November, the winners will be known at the awards ceremony in Athens. Divided into six categories, the awards recognise the achievements in the London 2012 Paralympic Games. The nominated athletes won a total of 38 gold medals in that competition. (Check out the complete list of nominees)

In the best female athlete category, the nominees are: Yunidis Castillo (Cuba), winner of three gold medals in Athletics; Terezinha Guilhermina (Brazil), the world fastest fully blind sprinter that won the 100m and 200m; archer Zahra Nemati (Iran), the first Iranian woman to win a gold medal in the Olympic and Paralympic Games; Esther Vergeer (the Netherlands), who retired after her fourth consecutive singles title in Wheelchair Tennis; and Yu Chui Lee (Hong Kong), who took two golds and a bronze in Wheelchair Fencing.

In the best male athlete category, the nominees are: Patrick Anderson (Canada), the tournament’s top scorer that took gold in Wheelchair Basketball; Ryley Batt (Australia) considered the best Wheelchair Rugby player; swimmer Daniel Dias (Brazil), who won six gold medals; Heinrich Popow (Germany), winner of three medals in Athletics, including a gold; and David Weir (Great Britain), who took four gold medals in Athletics.

The Paralympic Sport Awards take place once every two years since 2005 when Brazilian swimmer Clodoaldo Silva (S4) received the best male athlete award for his superb performance  in the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games, with six gold medals. On that occasion, Japanese swimmer Mayami Narita won the best female athlete award for her performance in Athens 2004 as well.