Polychronidis won double gold at the 2018 Boccia World Championships in Liverpool.

The Greek overcame the Paralympic champion Howon Jeong of South Korea to win the individual BC3 title in the English city.

He fought back from behind to win 6-5 and secure his first major individual gold.

Polychronidis was also the silver medallist in the mixed individual BC3 competition.

He then won BC3 pairs gold with team-mate Anna Ntenta in the final against Australia.

Polychronidis received the award with 42 per cent of the vote over French long-jumper Marie-Amelie le Fur in second.

Le Fur took 34 per cent of the vote with 20 per cent voting for Japanese wheelchair basketball player Daisuke Ikezaki in third.

The Netherlands' wheelchair basketball player Mariska Beijer and swimmer Liesette Bruinsma were also nominated.

Polychronidis joins nine other recipients this year.

American Nordic skiing star Oksana Masters won the January award with February's award given to Mac Marcoux, a Canadian Alpine skier.

March saw three awards, for best male, best female and best team after Pyeongchang 2018. 

Canada's Brian McKeever won best male for his Nordic skiing performances with fellow Nordic skier Ekaterina Rumyantseva, representing the Russian Neutral Paralympic Athletes, taking the women's gong.

The Chinese wheelchair curling team took March's best team award.

Iran's shooter Sareh Javanmardi won May's award, with Turkey's goalball player Sevda Altunoluk named the best athlete of June.

Last month's award was awarded to Iran's sitting volleyball player, Morteza Mehrzadselakjani.

Nominations are compiled after submissions from National Paralympic Committees and International Federations, before the public vote on the IPC website.