Athlete Spotlight
AIS Paralympic Swimming - Ellie Cole
Biography
Born: December 1991
MELBOURNE, VIC
Australia
MELBOURNE, VIC
Australia
Triple Paralympic medallist Ellie Cole is one of Australia’s fastest rising stars in the swimming pool.
Born in 1991, Ellie was diagnosed with cancer at the age of two and underwent chemotherapy. After the round of treatment did not reduce the cancer, her parents made the agonising decision to amputate Ellie’s leg to save her life.
Eight weeks after the surgery, as part of her rehabilitation, Ellie’s mother enrolled her in swimming lessons. Instructors predicted she would take up to a year to learn to swim in a straight line but, to their surprise, it took Ellie only two weeks. Ellie’s swimming went from strength to strength and, in 2006, she made her debut into the world of elite swimming at the 2006 IPC Swimming World Championships where she won a silver medal. At the 2006 Telstra Australian Swimming Championships, Ellie also won the 100m backstroke.
In 2008, Ellie made her Paralympic debut as one of the youngest members of the 2008 Australian Paralympic swimming squad. At just 16 years of age, Ellie brought home silver in the women’s 100m butterfly (S9) and two bronze medals — one for the 400m freestyle and the other in the 100m backstroke.
Ellie dominated the London 2012 Paralympic Games bringing home four gold (100m freestyle, 100m backstroke, 4 x 100m freestyle relay and 4 x 100m medley relay) and two bronze (400m and 500m freestyle).
Born in 1991, Ellie was diagnosed with cancer at the age of two and underwent chemotherapy. After the round of treatment did not reduce the cancer, her parents made the agonising decision to amputate Ellie’s leg to save her life.
Eight weeks after the surgery, as part of her rehabilitation, Ellie’s mother enrolled her in swimming lessons. Instructors predicted she would take up to a year to learn to swim in a straight line but, to their surprise, it took Ellie only two weeks. Ellie’s swimming went from strength to strength and, in 2006, she made her debut into the world of elite swimming at the 2006 IPC Swimming World Championships where she won a silver medal. At the 2006 Telstra Australian Swimming Championships, Ellie also won the 100m backstroke.
In 2008, Ellie made her Paralympic debut as one of the youngest members of the 2008 Australian Paralympic swimming squad. At just 16 years of age, Ellie brought home silver in the women’s 100m butterfly (S9) and two bronze medals — one for the 400m freestyle and the other in the 100m backstroke.
Ellie dominated the London 2012 Paralympic Games bringing home four gold (100m freestyle, 100m backstroke, 4 x 100m freestyle relay and 4 x 100m medley relay) and two bronze (400m and 500m freestyle).
Questions & Answers
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1
What is your most significant achievement in sport?
Four gold medals at the London 2012 Paralympic Games
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2
What is your major sporting goal?
To make the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games team
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3
What keeps you busy outside sport?
Movie marathons, hanging out with my friends, music and chocolate
