Eleanor  Simmonds

Eleanor "Ellie" Simmonds MBE (born 11 November 1994) is a British Paralympian swimmer competing in S6 events. She came to national attention when she competed in the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, winning two gold medals for Great Britain, despite being the youngest member of the team, at the age of 13. In 2012 she was again selected for the Great Britain squad, this time swimming at a home games in London. She won another two golds in London, including setting a World Record in the 400m freestyle.

Personal life

Born in Walsall, Simmonds grew up in neighbouring Aldridge, and attended Aldridge School. Simmonds, who has achondroplasia, became interested in swimming at the age of five.She swam for Boldmere Swimming Club in Sutton Coldfield, under Head Coach Ashley Cox, but she and her mother moved to Swansea when Simmonds was 11 to take advantage of the city's world-class swimming pool.She trains for two hours at a time in nine training sessions per week at the Wales National Pool. In 2008, following her success in Beijing she was made a life member of the club. To this date she still maintains her links with Boldmere Swimming Club, swimming at the annual Club Championships and occasionally attending training sessions when she returns from Swansea.

She also took part in All Star Family Fortunes which was broadcast on 29 November 2009, which made her the youngest team captain they ever had on the show. She played the game with her aunt, trainer, cousin and brother and won,520 for her chosen charity.

In August 2012, Simmond's former school, Cooper and Jordan, in the Green, Aldridge have renamed their Swimming Pool after the Paralympian following her gold medals at London 2012.

Career

At the age of 13, Simmonds was the youngest British athlete[4] at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, competing in the 50m, 100m and 400m freestyle, 50m butterfly, and 200m Individual Medley. She won gold medals in the 100m and 400m freestyle events.

On 1 September 2012, Simmonds repeated her gold performance to win the 400m freestyle at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, in which she took five seconds off the World Record time. Two days later, on the evening of 3 September, she took Gold in the 200m Individual Medley, breaking the World Record that she had set in the qualifying round that morning.

In addition, Simmonds has won ten gold World Championship titles.

She swims in the S6 disability category.

By: Giselle Perez