By James Crook

Alan Oliveira Lyon 2013August 1 - Two of the shining stars of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Championships in Lyon, world record-breaking sprinter Alan Oliveira and wheelchair racer Tatyana McFadden, head the list of nominations for IPC Athlete of the Month for July in one of the strongest shortlists to date.

The American McFadden was in scintillating form in Lyon, taking six gold medals from six events to become the first athlete in history to win as many world titles at a single championships.

The T54 wheelchair racer pulled together an incredible string of performances to take gold in the 100 metres, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m and 5,000m events, also setting a world record in the 800m.

There was a similarly astonishing month for the new poster boy of the Paralympic Movement Oliveira, who took a new world record at the Sainsbury's Anniversary Games last Sunday (July 28) just days after leaving Lyon with a trio of gold medals, a silver medal, a world record and a new fiancée in tow. 

174542356American wheelchair racer Tatyana McFadden made history by winning six world titles in Lyon

Oliveira, who shocked the world when he defeated Oscar Pistorius in the T44 200m final to take gold at London 2012, was once again at the top of his game at the Olympic Stadium in the British capital, conjuring an astonishing burst of pace to overtake British Paralympic and world champion Jonnie Peacock and Paralympic silver medallist Richard Browne of the United States in the final quarter of the race to set a world record time of 10.57secs in the T43/44 100m.

This world record was preceded by three world titles for the Brazilian, in the T44 400m, T43 100m, and the T43 200m, in which he also set a world record time of 20.66 before asking for his girlfriend's hand in marriage at the finish line whilst live on Brazilian television.

Other nominees that impressed in Lyon include Canada's T53 wheelchair racer Brent Lakatos, who won four gold medals and one silver before setting a new world record in the 100m at the Anniversary Games, and T34 wheelchair racer Walid Ktila of Tunisia, who took a clean sweep of four gold medals in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m events.

174716773Canada's Brent Lakatos added a world record at the Anniversary Games to the four gold medals he took in Lyon

Another wheelchair racer, 19-year-old American Raymond Martin, is up for the Athlete of the Month crown after performing a stunning clean sweep of gold medals in his five T52 events, becoming the first man to win five gold medals at a single World Championships.

The final nominee for the accolade is Mandy Francois-Elie, who delighted her home crowd in Lyon by winning gold medals in the T37 100m and 200m events, setting a world record time of 28.35 in the latter.

To vote for your Paralympic Athlete of the Month, click here.

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