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Biography
Impairment information
Type of Impairment
Cerebral Palsy, Impaired muscle power
Classification
S4, SB3, SM4
Further personal information
Occupation
Teacher
Languages
English
Sport specific information
When and where did you begin this sport?
She was classified as an S4 swimmer in 2015.
Why this sport?
She first took up swimming as a form of physiotherapy and pain relief. She was spotted by national team coaches at the 2016 Australian national championships, and made her international debut a few months later at a meet in Berlin, Germany.
Club / Team
Chandler Swimming Club: Brisbane, QLD, AUS
Name of coach
Brendan Burkett [national], AUS
International debut
Year
2016
Competing for
Australia
Location
Berlin, GER
General interest
Hobbies
Volunteering, music. (swimming.org.au, 01 Jan 2020)
Memorable sporting achievement
Winning gold in the S4 50m freestyle at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. (swimming.org.au, 01 Jan 2019)
Sporting philosophy / motto
"Dream, believe, achieve." (swimming.org.au, 01 Jan 2020)
Awards and honours
In January 2017 she received the Medal of the Order of Australia [OAM] in recognition of her gold medal at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. (paralympic.org, 28 Jan 2017)
In 2016 she received the Australian Institute of Sport [AIS] Discovery of the Year award at the Swimming Australia gala dinner. (couriermail.com.au, 24 Nov 2016)
In 2016 she received the Australian Institute of Sport [AIS] Discovery of the Year award at the Swimming Australia gala dinner. (couriermail.com.au, 24 Nov 2016)
Impairment
She was born nearly four months premature, and was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at age two. At age 21 she acquired Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare neurological disorder in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the peripheral nervous system. (paralympic.org.au, 2016; activehands.com, 01 Jun 2016)
Other information
OTHER ACTIVITIES
She is an ambassador for the Guillain-Barre Syndrome Foundation of Australia. She also volunteers at Queensland Children's Hospital in Brisbane, QLD, Australia, and was named the 2011 Queensland Young Volunteer of the Year in Australia. (idpwd.com.au, 24 Aug 2021; Athlete, 17 Jun 2021; Facebook profile, 15 Apr 2019; paralympic.org.au, 2016)
She is an ambassador for the Guillain-Barre Syndrome Foundation of Australia. She also volunteers at Queensland Children's Hospital in Brisbane, QLD, Australia, and was named the 2011 Queensland Young Volunteer of the Year in Australia. (idpwd.com.au, 24 Aug 2021; Athlete, 17 Jun 2021; Facebook profile, 15 Apr 2019; paralympic.org.au, 2016)
Results
| Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mixed 4x50 m Freestyle 20pts | Final Round | 2016-09-09 | 6 | |
| Mixed 4x50 m Freestyle 20pts | Heat 2 | 2016-09-09 | 4 | |
| Women's 150 m Individual Medley SM4 | Heat 1 | 2016-09-12 | 6 | |
| Women's 50 m Breaststroke SB3 | Heat 1 | 2016-09-14 | 5 | |
| Women's 50 m Freestyle S4 | Heat 1 | 2016-09-17 | 1 | |
| Women's 50 m Freestyle S4 | Final Round | 2016-09-17 | 1 |