born april canadian initially competed internationally canada switched netherlands national paralympic team won seven world championship finals canada netherlands medals canada paralympic games london gold silver bronze competed canadian olympic trials able bodied swimmer accident began competing international level classification setting world records process broke qualifying paralympics competing events won medals individual races holds world records metre long course freestyle metre applied join netherlands national team announced transfer june winning medals gold silver championships set european records expressed disappointment setting world records competing summer olympics citing health reasons career began swimming age mother owner age began swimming member competed canadian olympic trials beijing games classified disabled classification open minimal weakness affecting legs swimmers restriction hip joint movement swimmers feet deformed swimmers leg knee swimmers missing hand class physical ability canada injury competitive event shattered bones feet nationally ranked sport began trying walk swimming unaware worlds broadcast caught surprise stuck tongue camera relaxed attitude continued olympics said underlying arrogance consciously trying send message rivals wears elastic band aware negative thought incredibly hard helps realize frequency thinking changes mental perspective able bodied competitive swimmer annoyed idea held able bodied swimmers paralympic swimming joke paralympics harder able bodied sport know hand way harder said knew able bodied athletes constantly fun paralympics hopes change attitude noting change fellow medalist seen paralympics sydney world level competition swimming world championships netherlands won gold medals set world records november year year april canadian olympic montreal aimed lower world record metre freestyle seconds finished seconds trials paralympics won metre july canada cup result surprised rough time feet previous month month won women metre qualified women events metre individual medley freestyle relay medley relay metre freestyle metre expectations high august day competition new_zealand won metre individual medley took silver medal half hour competition eyes told meeting people realize incredibly grateful experience result accident don know journey supposed walk life wouldn world day won metre freestyle gold medal record time seconds time second faster april trials record second faster time went race bit annoyed mad going preliminary round metre placed hoped away main people finals maintain focus won gold medal final september setting world record overcoming half second lead turn noted time faster best able bodied time metre freestyle final solo event finished second france canadian finished fourth bronze canada medal day competition canadian women point freestyle relay medley relay teams medal freestyle relay team missing canadian record second placed seventh finals medley relay team finished seventh times metre metre fastest legs events olympics medals canadian athlete athlete london following individual event london said intended try world championships american games paralympics takes life year year october april planned time focus health appeared olympic heroes parade toronto event paralympic athletes given rooms hotel outskirts toronto olympic athletes housed downtown received gifts dinner relegated different dining room canadian spokesperson told spectator committee paralympics athletes included limited funding afford received olympic athletes athlete pan ambassador given presentations schools receives appearances hoped earn speaking fees appeared play street hockey championship assisted post position draw appeared publicity photo shoots competitive manufacturer arena sponsors november went public uncle difficulty finding sponsorship worlds said paralympic athletes received prize money despite thousands dollars given government winning coaches told pat good job note trust coming able bodied athlete receives year funding government return pool included april swimming competition won gold medals netherlands applied switch netherlands national team mother country dual citizenship june reported change day day funding netherlands similar canada offers prize money paralympics won gold medals train successful august swimming european championships breaking women metre freestyle record morning heats lowered finals metre broke european record morning heats final won gold medal told website wanted world record satisfied super happy wasn perfect race gauge awards year father female coach year swimming female swimmer year ontario sport award female athlete disability year female athlete disability year coach year queen elizabeth_ii diamond jubilee medal nominated golden athlete year residents hamilton won columnist listed contender won personal life november shortly olympic trials year old missed pit bouncing mini fell feet concrete pad parents spectators competition saw accident bones feet shattered doctors suggested stand possibility informed spent months wheelchair months right foot screws plate left foot screws continuously sore occasionally lock paralympics told feet killing condition casts removed walking rehabilitation water thinks able walk aquatic rehab injury sessions week pool swimming kilometres session addition weight training running accident weekly threshold local pool kilometres sessions weight room disability usually evident spectators according walks halfway normal chose beauty sport issue photographed las_vegas wearing bikini hoped increase interest paralympic sport celebrate bodies athletes illustrated night met man written twin sister julia created murals artwork fundraiser olympic paralympic athletes graduate named american olympic swimmer won medals gold silver bronze summer olympics barcelona year born
Summer Mortimer