Six awards - best female, best male, best female debut, best male debut, best team and best official - will be presented at a special ceremony in Athens on November 23 to recognise the achievements of the nominated Paralympians at London 2012.

In addition to Yunidis, Brazilian sprinter Terezinha Guilhermina, Iranian archer Zahra Nemati, wheelchair tennis player Esther Vergeer of the Netherlands and wheelchair fencer Yu Chui Yee of Hong Kong feature on the best female shortlist, while Canadian wheelchair basketball player Patrick Anderson, Australia's wheelchair rugby player Ryley Batt, swimmer Daniel Dias of Brazil and British wheelchair racer David Weir make up the men's equivalent.

Namibian sprinter Johanna Benson, Belgian equestrian Michèle George and sprinter Marlou Van Rhijn of the Netherlands are up for the best female Games debut title, with American wheelchair racer Raymond Martin and British sprinter Jonnie Peacock joining Zanardi on the best male debut award.

As well as the Brazilian five-a-side football side, Australia's wheelchair rugby squad and Canada's men's wheelchair basketball are also in contention for the best team award.

Yunidis Castillo, who became Cuba’s most successful Paralympian after winning all three sprint golds in world record times at London 2012, is up for the best female award


Between them, the shortlisted athletes won 38 gold medals at the London 2012 Paralympics, while a record number of nominations for the awards forced the IPC to split the best Games debut award into two categories for males and females.

Finally, Brazil's Chef de Mission Edílson Rocha Tubiba, German wheelchair rugby official Sylvia Sekowska and Canadian Louis Barbeau, who was responsible for the London 2012 cycling course, have made it onto the best official shortlist.

Those presented with accolades this year will join the likes of Australian swimmer Matthew Cowdrey and Canadian wheelchair racer Chantal Petitclerc, who have previously won Paralympic Sport Awards.

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