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Tracy Barrell

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Tracy Barrell
Personal information
Full nameTracy Lee Barrell
Nationality Australia
Born1974
Medal record
Swimming
Paralympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1992 Barcelona Women's 4x50 m Freestyle S1-6
Gold medal – first place 1992 Barcelona Women's 50 m Butterfly S3-4

Tracy Lee Barrell, OAM (born 1974) is a triple congenital amputee Paralympic swimmer from Australia. She won two gold medals at the 1992 Barcelona Games. She is a strong advocate for people with disabilities and an indigenous Australian.

Personal

Barrell was born in 1974 in New South Wales.[1] From birth she had no legs and only one arm.[2] Barrell stated that doctors said her disability was due to genetic mutation from an anti morning sickness pill that her mother Terri had taken.[1] Barrell sat on a skateboard and used her one arm for her mobility as a child.[1] She decided not to use prosthetic legs.[1] She attended St Patrick's College, Sutherland in Sydney.[3][4]

She got married in February 1995 to Steve and got divorced 3 years later.[1] She has two sons with her new partner Brad – Bryce (2001) and Oscar (2004). She separated from her partner and raised the children as a single mother.[1]

Sporting career

In 1989, at the age of 14, her mother enrolled her with the NSW Amputee Sporting Association and she commenced her swimming career.[1] She was coached by Mick Maroney and later by Greg Hodge.[1][4] Her first major competition was the NSW State Games held at Narrabeen Sports Centre where she won gold in four swimming events and two athletics throwing events.[2] Her results led her to being award the Athlete of the Games. She was classified as a S4 swimmer.[3]

Thanks to her mother, who sold their farm to get tickets to Spain, she took part in the 1992 Barcelona Games.[1] She won two gold medals at the Paralympics in the Women's 4x50 m Freestyle S1-6 event and the Women's 50 m Butterfly S3-4 event and finished fourth in two individual events.[5]

In 1993, for her sporting achievements, including those at the Paralympic Games, she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).[6][7]

She retired from swimming in 1994 due to injury and surgery to her only arm.[2]

In 2008, she represented Australia at the Shanghai Women's Sitting Volleyball Tournament.[8]

Advocacy

Since her retirement from sport, she has been a strong advocate for opportunities for people with a disability.[8] Between 2008 and 2015, she was an ambassador for Don't DIS my ABILITY, a program that provides inspirational role models for people with disabilities.[1][9][10]

In 2011, she was denied access to all rides at Movie World Studios due to a change in their safety policy. In previous visits, she was able to access all the rides.[11]

In 2013, she was appointed as a Living Life My Way Ambassadors and Champions by the New South Wales Government.[12]

Barrell has indigenous heritage. In 2015 she was a spokesperson for First Peoples Disability Network and on December, 3rd she took part in a celebration of indigenous Paralympians at National Centre of Indigenous Excellence in Sydney.[13]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Barrell is proof that dreams can come true". That's Life website. Archived from the original on 4 September 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  2. ^ a b c "Tracy Barrell". One of Me. Archived from the original on 6 February 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Courage, determination pave Tracy's golden path to Spain More than 'mucking around' in the water". Canberra Times. 12 July 1992. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  4. ^ a b McDonald, Margaret (7 April 1992). "Baked beans might help, says Laurie, but Tracy didn't need them". Canberra Times. p. 20. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  5. ^ "Tracy Barrell". paralympic.org. International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  6. ^ "Barrell, Tracy Lee". Australian Honours Search Facility. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  7. ^ "QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY HONOURS". Canberra Times. 14 June 1993. p. 10. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Ambassadord 2009". Don't DIS my ABILITY website. 25 November 2009. Archived from the original on 12 April 2010. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  9. ^ "Ambassadors - Don't DIS my ABILITY". 25 March 2017. Archived from the original on 25 March 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  10. ^ "Don't DIS my ABILITY- No Offence, BUT!... A Comedy Cabaret". blog.ai-media.tv. 27 November 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  11. ^ Tagan Williams; John Gass (13 September 2011). "Paralympian humiliated at theme park". Tweed Daily News. Archived from the original on 6 February 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  12. ^ "Meet our Aboriginal Ambassadors and Champions". NSW Family and Community Services website. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  13. ^ Australian Paralympic Committee (10 December 2015). "Australian Paralympians honoured on IDPD". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
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