Eleanor Simmonds was a Paralympic gold medallist, aged just 13 years old!
Sport: Swimming
Home town: Swansea
Date of birth: 11 November 1994
Sporting career: Ellie became one of Britain’s most successful Paralympians at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games where aged just 13, she brought home two gold medals in 100m and 400m Freestyle swimming. These achievements made her the youngest ever Briton to win an individual gold medal at a Paralympic Games.
Ellie began swimming with her local club at the age of five. She made her international debut at the 2006 International Paralympic Committee World Championships in South Africa. Most recently, Ellie competed at the 2012 British Championships in London, where she won a gold medal in the 400m Freestyle, upholding her title as the number one S6 category swimmer in the world (S6 is Paralympics freestyle, butterfly and backstroke swimming). At the same Championships she became the first athlete to break a world record in the London Aquatics Centre; winning gold in the 200m Individual Medley and breaking her own previously set record with a new time of 3:08:14.
In 2008 Ellie won the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year Award and in 2009 became the youngest ever person to be awarded an MBE by the Queen.
Find out more about Ellie…
What is a ‘typical’ day for you?
I get up 5:30am, have a quick breakfast and then start training between 6:00am – 7:30am. I have more training after school between 3:30pm – 5.30pm. After dinner, I do my homework and prepare my kit and school bag for the next day, then hopefully catch up with friends online and watch TV before going to bed at 9:00pm.
How do you balance training with your school work?
Having a good routine and training the same time every day helps. My school is very supportive when I have time off for competitions and helps me to catch up on what I miss. I’m sure as I get into my GCSEs it will get tougher.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I enjoy going shopping with my friends and going to the cinema.
What music do you like listening to?
R&B and Rihanna
What is your favourite movie?
Hairspray
What motivates you?
Wanting to be the best and winning.
How did you celebrate Handover?
I was at the Closing Ceremony in Beijing celebrating a successful first
Paralympic Games.
