Ivan Sivak has been voted October’s Allianz Athlete of the Month after his emotional gold medal victory at the Malle 2017 World Para Dance Sport Championships in Belgium.

The multi-world and European champion captured his first world title in the men’s single class 2. He was competing as an individual dancer for the first time at the Championships after his wife and dance partner Nadiia passed away a year ago. Sivak also won the bronze medal in the men’s single freestyle class 2.

Sivak received 52 per cent of the public votes, the first time that a Para dancer has won the Allianz Athlete of the Month poll. Mongolian taekwondo fighter Enkhtuya Khurelbaatar was second with 45 per cent. Italian archer Alberto Simonelli, Japanese Para ice hockey player Wataru Horie and Danish taekwondo fighter Lisa Gjessing were also on October’s shortlist.

The 2017 winners so far are:

January – Jeroen Kampschreur, Netherlands, alpine skiing

February – Veronika Vadovicova, Slovakia, shooting

March – Maria Paula Barrera, Colombia, swimming

April – Jean Claude Niringiyimana, Rwanda, taekwondo

May – Evan Medell, USA, taekwondo

June – Alfie Hewett, Great Britain, wheelchair tennis

July – Petrucio Ferreira, Brazil, athletics

August – U Cheol Park, South Korea, wheelchair rugby

September- Zahra Nemati, Iran, archery

October – Ivan Sivak, Ukraine, Para dance sport