Caironi completes superb month with IPC Athlete of the Month award

Italian sprinter Martina Caironi (left) has claimed the IPC Athlete of the Month award ©Getty Images

Paralympic and world champion sprinter Martina Caironi has scooped the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Allianz Athlete of the Month award for May following her record-breaking performances at the IPC Athletics Grand Prix in Nottwil, Switzerland.

Caironi, who won gold in the T42 100 metres event at London 2012, broke two world records at the Swiss meet by clocking 15.15 in the 100m, beating her previous mark by 0.03 seconds.

She then took a comfortable victory in the 200m by finishing in a rapid time of 32.32 to complete what was a dominant display from the Italian.

As well as her success on the track, Caironi also leapt 4.60m at a meet in Barcelona, Spain, which equalled the T42 long jump world record.

In order to land the prize, the 25-year-old narrowly edged out Dutch sprinter Marlou van Rhijn, who also broke two world records at the event in Nottwill, by claiming 35 per cent of the overall vote.

Van Rhijn smashed the T43 200m record, bettering the previous time by 0.33 seconds, and she managed to round off a commanding display at the competition by winning the 100m.

The Dutchwoman missed out by just three per cent and the sprinting duo were by far the most popular athletes who were nominated.

Australian wheelchair tennis player Dylan Alcott, who enjoyed a fruitful month by sealing both the quad singles and doubles titles at the recent Japan Open Super Series, was further adrift, receiving 16 per cent of the vote.

Dutchwoman Marlou van Rhijn finished in second place after she received 32 per cent of the vote ©Getty Images

He overcame the tough challenge of American world number one David Wagner in the quad singles final before he partnered South African Lucas Sithole to claim the quad doubles crown.

Also nominated was American ice sledge hockey star Josh Pauls, who was an integral part of the team that won the Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships A-Pool event with a 3-0 win over arch-rivals Canada, and he took 12 per cent of the voting share.

Dutch triathlete Jetze Plat beat four-time world champion Billy Chaffey by about seven minutes at the World Paratriathlon event in Madrid but he could only muster six per cent.