A Stroke of Brilliance

The life of a typical 13 year old girl involves pop music, boys and school but this post is not about an ordinary teenage girl. It’s about Danielle Bailey, an amazing British swimmer and future Paralympic hopeful. Danielle contracted meningitis at an early age and lost both her arms and legs as a result of the illness. In spite of that, she pursued the sport fueled by determination and persistence, and remarkably swims at the same level expected of a 16 year old able-bodied swimmer.

Disability sports have classifications ranging from S1 to S15 with S1 being the most serious disability. Danielle is categorized as an S4 swimmer and incredibly started swimming only one year ago.  With a number of medals under her belt, a true love for the sport and the immense support from her parents, Danielle is well on her way to Paralympic glory. Olympic fever is heightening with only 12 months until the London 2012 Games.

It is remarkable how athletes like Danielle can turn a disability into a potential gold medal. You can read more about her story here.