By Emily Goddard

Gustavo SanchezDecember 9 - Gustavo Sánchez, Mexico's most successful athlete at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, has been awarded the 2012 Premio Nacional de Deportes in the Paralympic Athlete category at an awards ceremony in Mexico City.

The 18-year-old (pictured top) swimmer received his award from the newly elected Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto at his official residency Los Pinos after winning two gold, one silver and one bronze medal in the men's S4 category at London's Aquatics Centre.

His success follows his impressive performance at last year's Parapan American Games where he claimed two gold medals, one silver and two bronze, as well as breaking the SB3 50 metres breaststroke record in a time of 56.50sec and the S4 50m freestyle in 40.29.

Other winners of the award included the national under-23 football team for winning gold at the London 2012 Olympics, and archer Aida Roman, who silver this summer.

The Premio Nacional winners received prize money of 600,000 pesos (£29,000/$47,000/€36,000), a certificate and medal.

The jury for the award was made up of 10 representatives of the Mexican National Olympic Committee, the national commission for culture and sports, Olympic medallists, former winners of the Premio Nacional and journalists.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]