Stephen Simmonds (swimmer)
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Stephen Leslie Simmonds is an Australian Paralympic swimmer and disabled waterskiing world champion. In February 1982, at the age of six, his right leg was amputated below the knee after a car knocked him off his bike.[1] After the accident, he took up BMX riding, football, basketball, gymnastics and competitive swimming.[1] He attended St Edmund's College, Canberra. At the age of twelve, he was the first student with a disability to compete at the Australian Primary Schools Championships.[1] At the 1989 FESPIC Games in Kobe, Japan, he won a gold medal, two silver medals and a bronze medal in swimming events.[1] He dis not win a medal at the 1990 World Championships and Games for the Disabled in Assen, Netherlands.[2]
He won a bronze medal at the 1992 Barcelona Games in the Men's 200 m Medley SM10 event; He also competed in the Men’s 50 m Freestyle, Men’s 100 m Freestyle, Men’s 100 m Butterfly S10, Men's 4x100 m, Freestyle S7–10 and Men's 4x100 m Medley S7–10 events.[3]
At the age of eleven, he started water skiing.[1] At the 1993 World Disabled Water Skiing Championships in France he won four gold medals and broke three world records and named Overall Men’s World Champion.[1] He was the first disabled person to perform a flip. He continues to water ski at a competitive level.
He had an Australian Institute of Sport Athletes with a Disability scholarship from 1993 to 1995 and in 1997.[4] In 2000, he received an Australian Sports Medal for his skiing achievements.[5]
He is married to Fiona, and has two daughters Ruby and Tayla.[6] His daughters both water ski with Tayla Simmonds in 2011 being the youngest ever skier to contest the Moomba Championships at Melbourne.[6] He has walked the Kokoda Track.[7] He works as an electrical contractor.[7]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Interview – Steve Simmonds". National Australian Waterskier Magazine (3). December 1993. pp. 8–9.
- ↑ World Championships and Games for the Disabled - Swimming Results. Netherlands: Organising Committee. 1990.
- ↑ "Athlete Search Results". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
- ↑ Excellence : the Australian Institute of Sport. Canberra: Australian Sports Commission. 2002. ISBN 1-74013-060-X.
- ↑ "SIMMONDS, Stephen: Australian Sports Medal". It's an Honour. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
- 1 2 Quick, David (19 May 2011). "Simmonds sisters shine in Catfish nationals". Lakes Mail. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
- 1 2 "Simmonds targets new record". Lakes Mail. 20 August 2009. Retrieved 21 February 2012.