Ellie Simmonds

About Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds

Ellie Simmonds OBE is a four-time Paralympic Champion and is the holder of a number of World records. She won her first Paralympic medal when just 13 years old. She went on to become the youngest winner of the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year (2008) and the youngest recipient of an MBE when just 14.

Ellie continues to dominate her sport and, at the time of writing has won 13 World titles and 10 European titles. She also competed at the London 2012 Paralympics winning four medals including two Golds and broke two World records. In the lead up to London 2012 Ellie had become the poster girl for the Paralympic games. She is the most recognised Paralympic athlete in the United Kingdom.

Ellie Simmonds education

Simmonds was born in Walsall, where she went to Aldridge School before moving on to Olchfa School in Swansea.

At the age of five, Simmonds, who has achondroplasia, showed an interest in swimming.

She swam at Boldmere Swimming Club in Sutton Coldfield before moving to Swansea when she was 11 years old to take advantage of the city’s world-class swimming pool.

Ellie was competing against able-bodied children by the time she was eight. At ten years old, her talent was spotted and she was entered into the British Swimming talent programme. Through her hard work and dedication, she became the youngest member of the senior British Swimming squad for the 2006 IPC World Championships at the age of 12.

Ellie has captured both the hearts and minds of the British public, balancing her stardom with her school work and training. Her reputation as a world-class athlete was secured at London 2012 and she quickly followed up with an equally fantastic World Championships where she came home with three Gold medals, a Bronze and a World record cementing her status as Britain’s golden girl.

She earned a degree in psychology from Loughborough University in England.