The accolade provides a fitting conclusion to a year which saw the 33-year-old T52 athlete pick up two Paralympic medals.

First, she raced to silver behind Michelle Stilwell of Canada in the women's 200 metres event.

Then, four days later in London's Olympic Stadium, the Belgian athlete went one better, holding off the fast-finishing Stilwell to take gold in the T52 100m in a Paralympic record time of 19.69sec.


Vervoort said the trophy, which she received from Belgian tennis legend Kim Clijsters, meant the world to her.

Her closest rivals for the award, which is based on the votes of Belgian sports journalists, were Michèle George, a Para-equestrian athlete, and cyclist Wim Decleir.