ParalympicGB star who melted hearts on The Sun’s front page 18 years ago wins sensational GOLD at Paris 2024
INSPIRATIONAL Ellie Challis became a Paralympic swimming champion for the first time – 18 years after she graced the front page of The Sun.
Golden Challis is appearing in the sports section after coming home first in the S3 women’s 50 metres backstroke in a time of 53.56 seconds.
This was an upgrade from the silver medal won as a 17-year-old in the same discipline three years ago in Tokyo.
Clacton-born Challis contracted meningitis as a child and surgeons removed both legs and part of each arm to save her life after the killer disease poisoned her blood.
At the age of three, she was fitted with £20,000 prosthetic legs – paid for through a fund-raising drive by locals in Romford, East London – by specialists at the world-famous Dorset Orthopaedic Clinic.
The special frame allowed her to walk again and she learned to feed herself using a spoon between the stumps of her arms – with the help of her twin sister Sophie.
It was a truly inspiring story and warmed the hearts of the nation when it appeared in our newspaper on December 7, 2006.
Nearly two decades later, she has reached the pinnacle of her sport in the Paralympic pool in Paris.
There is the chance she could win another medal on Tuesday evening in the women’s S3 100 metres freestyle.
Challis, who often arrives at competitions on her blue scooter called ‘Whirly’, had a disruptive build-up to these Games as she had surgery on both legs in November 2023.
The 20-year-old said: “A personal best was all I could ask for whether that got me first, second or third, then that’s what it was. But wow that was a good swim.
“Para sport is so different – we have people drop in and out of our classifications all the time and you never know what the year is going to hold.
“I went to the worlds in 2019 and since then I’ve just gone up and up and up.
“It’s been the most incredible day ever. I was so confident in myself but it’s a swimming race anything can happen. But wow that was fun.
“My family are just up there. I just want to say a big thank you to my dad, my sisters and my coach Aled as I couldn’t have done it without them.
“Since working with Aled two years ago I’ve improved so much. He gives me so much confidence in my swimming and I really couldn’t have done it without him, either at the worlds two years ago or today.
“I’ve got one day left and we’ll see what happens tomorrow but this is a full dream come true and tomorrow is just about enjoying every moment and taking it all in and whatever happens, happens.”
Louise Fiddes, from Welwyn Garden City, added to the gold tally with success in the women’s SB14 100 metres breaststroke – Britain’s 13th gold in the sport after five days of competition.
All of the events taking place at the Paris 2024 Paralympics
Each sport is broken down into subcategories giving athletes the chance to compete on equal terms with those who have a similar impairment.
Here are the events:
- Para archery
- Para athletics
- Para badminton
- Blind football
- Boccia
- Para canoe
- Para cycling
- Para equestrian
- Goalball
- Para judo
- Para powerlifting
- Para rowing
- Shooting Para sport
- Sitting volleyball
- Para swimming
- Para table tennis
- Para taekwondo
- Para triathlon
- Wheelchair basketball
- Wheelchair fencing
- Wheelchair rugby
- Wheelchair tennis
Challis’ victory comes after she became the first British quadruple amputee to master snowboarding at the age of 14.
In 2015 she ended up joining her local disabled swimming club.
And four years later she made the GB regional squad before breaking the British and European record for butterfly, as well as the world record for breaststroke.
Months later she won a bronze medal at the world para-swimming championships in London.
Challis then went on to win silver in the women’s 50 metre backstroke event at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo.
When she was just 16 months old, Challis contracted meningitis and was given just a five per cent chance of survival.
Channel 4's Paralympics Line-Up
Channel 4 have a star-studded line-up of hosts and pundits for their coverage of the 2024 Paralympics
The presenting team is headed up by former Paralympian turned TV host Ade Adepitan.
Five-time Paralympic swimming champion Ellie Simmonds is making her debut with the broadcaster, alongside actress, producer and former Strictly winner Rose Ayling-Ellis.
Veteran sports broadcaster Clare Balding also appears on-screen, as does racing-driver-turned-commentator Billy Monger and Invictus Games medallist and presenter JJ Chalmers.
The line-up also includes adventurer and former rugby union player Ed Jackson, TV and radio presenter Vick Hope, comedian Josh Pugh and sports presenter Lee McKenzie.
There’s also an experienced team who are there to commentate, including in the athletics, the wheelchair rugby and the equestrian events.
Further expert analysis comes courtesy of multi-Paralympic medallist Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson and Paralympic gold-medal sprinter Libby Clegg.
Dad Paul previously told The Sun how his daughter “died for two minutes.”
He said: “It’s the word any parent dreads, meningitis She actually died for two minutes. Her heart stopped.
“We were in the room when she was flat-lining. It was that close.
“She was in a coma for five weeks and the only thing you can hope for is that she survives.
“Her fingertips and toes started to turn black, then you could see it rising up and up.”
Challis added: “My dad thought I’d never walk again. Now I’m representing my country at the Paralympics.
“I’m going to go out there and do my best and enjoy every minute of it. I can’t wait to get started.”