Scottish Disability Sport is delighted to continue to provide an overview of the sports that Scottish Para Swimmers will compete in as members of Team Scotland at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. Today we are highlighting the sport of Para-Swimming and Swimmers Toni Shaw and Beth Johnston.
Swimming has been identified as one of the best activities for total body fitness whether you compete at elite level or just for fun. It really is a fully inclusive sport with many positive opportunities for health and fitness.
Disability swimming is one of the core sports involved in the Paralympic Games and has been present since the inaugural games in Rome in 1960. The Paralympic swimming programme is one of the biggest both in terms of competitor numbers and medal events including all four strokes with distances from 50m up to 400m. The swimming events have increased in the Commonwealth Games programme from six medal events in Glasgow 2014 to 12 in the Gold Coast 2018.
Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia will have several para swimmer events included and Scotland will have two young swimmers to look out for.
Beth Johnston
16 year old Beth from Galashiels who swims with Galashiels ASC and Borders Elite Swim Team (BEST) will compete in the SM 10 200m Individual Medley.
Key achievements
- 2017 World Para-Swimming Series, Indianapolis: S10 100m Backstroke gold, S10 50m Freestyle gold, S10 100m Freestyle silver
- 2017 Scottish National & Open Swimming Championships, Aberdeen: MC 100m backstroke gold, MC 200m IM silver, MC 50m Freestyle silver, MC 400m Freestyle silver
- 2017 National Para Swimming Championships (25m), Manchester: MC 100m backstroke bronze
Beth’s athlete profile can be viewed here.
Toni Shaw
As one of the youngest members of Team Scotland, Aberdonian Cult Otters swimmer Toni will be swimming in four events; SM10 200m Individual Medley, S9 100m Backstroke, S9 100M Freestyle and SB9 100M Breaststroke
Key achievements
- Selected to represent GBR at World Para Swimming Championships 2017 in Mexico
- 2017 World Para Swimming World Series, Berlin: Bronze MC 100m Butterfly
- 2017 World Para Swimming World Series, Indianapolis: Gold (S9) 200m IM, Gold (S9) 100m Butterfly, Silver (S9) 400m Freestyle, Bronze (S9) 100m Backstroke
- 2017 British Para Swimming International Meet, Sheffield: MC 100m Freestyle, 11th; MC 200m IM 14th; MC 50m Freestyle 13th; MC 100m Butterfly 7th; MC 400m Freestyle 5th.
Toni’s athlete profile can be viewed here.
For a schedule of para swimming events please follow the link below:
https://www.gc2018.com/sport/swimming
Scottish Disability Sport has produced a factsheet on para swimming for people with a disability which can be downloaded here.
And a video fact file can be viewed here:
Tomorrow
The next 2018 Commonwealth Games Para sport we will feature will be Para athletics and athletes Maria Lyle who won two bronze medals and a silver in the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, Sammi Kinghorn, Paralympian and World double gold medallist who will make her second Games appearance after she featured in the 1500m at the Glasgow 2014 Games and last but not least Amy Carr IPC World Championships 2017 Gold Medallist who will make her debut in the Gold Coast 2018.