Eila Nilsson

Eila Nilsson

Nilsson at 1996 Summer Paralympics
Personal information
Born	(1966-11-20)20 November 1966 Norsjö, Sweden
Died	19 September 2022(2022-09-19) (aged 55) Skelleftehamn, Sweden
Sport
Country	Sweden
Sport	Paralympic swimming
Disability class	B1
Medal record Paralympic swimming Representing Sweden Paralympic Games 1996 Atlanta 50m freestyle B1 1996 Atlanta 100m freestyle B1

Eila Susanne Nilsson (20 November 1966 – 19 September 2022) was a Swedish swimmer, masseur, therapist in Chinese medicine and lecturer in mental counseling.

Biography

Nilsson was born in Norsjö and was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of three. At the age of 21, in 1987, she suffered changes in her right eye. These were treated with lasers, but she became blind on her right eye. The left eye suffered from bleeding a few months later. After four specialist operations, the retina detached and she lost the sight in that eye as well. In 2017, Nilsson suffered from malignant breast cancer, which was followed by chemotherapy and radiation.

Nilsson died at the age of 55. Nilsson died in Skelleftehamn, Skellefteå kommun.

Merits

As a swimmer, Nilsson became a double Paralympic champion in swimming for the blind, which she won at the Paralympic Games in Atlanta 1996. She also won two European Championship golds and several Swedish championships. As of 2022, she still held the world record in 50 meter freestyle for the blind at 33.02 seconds.