University of Bath student Katrina Hart was today named International Paralympic Committee Athlete of the Month for October 2010.

The announcement followed an online public vote in which Katrina claimed 48 per cent of votes cast.

The University of Bath Sports Performance student collected the award after winning gold for England in the T37 100m at the Delhi Commonwealth Games.

She said: “I’m really pleased to win this award and I’d like to thank everyone who voted for me. I’m now back in training for the World Championships in New Zealand January and then it’s London 2012. I can’t wait.”

Canadian Kyle Pettey, who set a new world record in winning Commonwealth Games shot put gold F32/34/52 came second in the vote.

Born with cerebral palsy, Hart was introduced to Paralympic Sport aged 14 and one year later won a bronze medal in the 100m T37 at the 2005 European Championships in Finland.

At the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games she finished seventh in the 100m T37 final, however her greatest performance to date was in winning gold at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi last month in a British record time of 14.36 seconds.

In addition to preparing for January’s IPC Athletics World Championships in Christchurch, New Zealand and the London 2012 Paralympic Games, Hart is also a third year Sports Performance student at the University of Bath.

Nominated alongside Hart and Pettey in the IPC’s `Athlete of the Month’ for October 2010 were Nigeria’s Kate Nwaka Oputa who claimed Commonwealth Games gold in the

Women’s Singles Wheelchair Table Tennis, Australia’s 1500m T54 Commonwealth Games gold medal winner Kurt Fearnley and Wheelchair Basketballer Daniel Robert Highcock who made world headlines after shooting a basket from well inside his own half during a Spanish league game.