Anyone wishing to vote had until 1pm Central European Summer Time yesterday to make their choice.

Medell was shortlisted after beating world number one Ivan Mikulic of Croatia in the men’s over 75 kilogram K44 competition at the Oceania Para Taekwondo in Auckland.

The American received 49 per cent of the public votes which secured first place.

Breaking a 28-year-old world record at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Arizona saw the United States’ Cassie Mitchell, who picked up two medals at Rio 2016 with a discus F51/52 silver and club throw F51 bronze, finish in second place.

She received 42 per cent of the vote.

The duo finished in front of the rest of the nominees which included Brazilian Bruna Costa Alexandre, who clinched gold in the women’s class 9-10 at the International Table Tennis Federation Para World Team Championships in Slovakia.

It was the first title won by someone from her country or any Latin American state at the tournament.

Zhenzhen Zhu of China was also nominated after pulling off a surprise win over Dutch wheelchair tennis star Diede de Groot at the World Team Cup in Italy, which helped set up a 2-0 win the final.

Thailand’s triple Paralympic gold medallist Watcharaphon Vongsa completed the shortlist after winning the BC2 individual event at the Boccia International Sports Federation Asia-Oceania Championships in Hong Kong against compatriot Worawut Saengampa.

April’s prize was won by Rwanda’s Para-taekwondo athlete Jean Claude Niringiyimana after impressing on home soil at the Para Africa Open.