Voting open for Americas ‘Athlete of the Month’

Brazil’s table tennis player Bruna Costa Alexandre, Canada’s wheelchair racer Brent Lakatos, Mexico’s shot putter Rebeca Valenzuela Alvarez, USA’s track athlete Cassie Mitchell and taekwondo athlete Evan Medell are the five shortlisted Para athletes for the Americas ‘Athlete of the Month’ poll for May 2017.

The public are invited to vote for their winner via www.americasparalympic.org and can do so until Monday (19 June).

The nominations are:

Bruna Costa Alexandre, Brazil, table tennis

Helped Brazil clinch gold in the women’s class 9-10 at the ITTF Para World Team Championships. It was Brazil and Latin America’s first ever world title in the sport.

Brent Lakatos, Canada, athletics

Broke three world records in the men’s 100m 200m and 800m T53 at the Nottwil 2017 World Para Athletics Grand Prix.

Rebeca Valenzuela Alvarez, Mexico, athletics

Secured the first place in the women’s shot put F12 thanks to a 13.05 throw at the Nottwil 2017 World Para Athletics Grand Prix.

Cassie Mitchell, USA, athletics

Broke a 28-year-old world record at the Arizona Grand Prix. The T51 athlete, who was diagnosed with leukemia last year, clocked 6:25.19 in the 1,500m T33/34/51, knocking a remarkable 1:34.61 off the previous mark which had stood since 1989.

Evan Medell, USA, taekwondo

Caused a major upset by defeating Croatia's world No.1 Ivan Mikulic in the final of the men’s over 75kg K44 to win the Oceania Para Taekwondo Open in Auckland, New Zealand.

The nominations are compiled from submissions by National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) from the continent.

The 2017 Americas Athlete of the Month winners so far are:

• January – Gustavo Fernandez, Argentina, wheelchair tennis

• February – Alexander Cataldo, Chile, wheelchair tennis

• March – Maria Paula Barrera, Colombia, swimming

• April – Adam Dixon, Canada, ice hockey