Bethany Firth

Last updated

Bethany Firth
OBE
Bethany Firth Rio2016b.jpg
Firth at the 2016 Paralympics
Personal information
Nationality British
Born (1996-02-14) 14 February 1996 (age 28)
Height172 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Sport
Sport Para swimming
Disability class S14, SB14, SM14
ClubArds Swim Club
Medal record
Women's para swimming
Representing Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Paralympic Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2016 Rio de Janeiro 100 m backstroke S14
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2016 Rio de Janeiro 200 m freestyle S14
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2016 Rio de Janeiro 200 m medley SM14
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2020 Tokyo 100 m backstroke S14
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2020 Tokyo mixed 4 × 100 m freestyle relay S14
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2016 Rio de Janeiro 100 m breaststroke SB14
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2020 Tokyo 200 m freestyle S14
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2020 Tokyo 200 m medley SM14
World Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2022 Madeira 200 m freestyle S14
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2022 Madeira 100 m backstroke S14
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2022 Madeira 200 m medley SM14
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2023 Manchester 100 m backstroke S14
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2023 Manchester 200 m medley SM14
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg2023 Manchester 200 m freestyle S14
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg2023 Manchester 100 m butterfly S14
European Championships
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2016 Funchal 100 m breaststroke SB14
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg2016 Funchal 200 m medley SM14
Representing Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland
Paralympic Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2012 London 100 m backstroke S14
World Championships
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2013 Montreal 200 m freestyle S14
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2013 Montreal 100 m backstroke S14
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2013 Montreal 100 m breaststroke SB14
Representing Ulster Banner.svg  Northern Ireland
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2022 Birmingham 200 m freestyle S14

Bethany Charlotte Firth (born 14 February 1996) is a Northern Irish Paralympic swimmer. Since 2014 she has competed for Great Britain; previously, Firth had represented Ireland. A six time Paralympic gold medalist, she has won gold in her specialist event - the 100 metres backstroke - for both Ireland at the 2012 Summer Paralympics and Great Britain at the 2016 and 2020 Summer Paralympics. These were in addition to the Mixed 4 x 100 metres freestyle relay S14 at the 2020 Games, and 200 metres medley and 200 metres freestyle for Great Britain at the 2016 Games, where she was the nation's most successful Paralympian with three golds and a silver medal. She competes in the S14 classification for athletes with an intellectual impairment. [1]

Contents

Personal life

Bethany Charlotte Firth was born on 14 February 1996 in Seaforde, County Down, Northern Ireland. Her father Peter is a teacher and former church minister, and her mother Lindsey is a nurse practitioner. She is a Christian and is a member of Christian Fellowship Church. [2] Firth was educated at Longstone School in Dundonald.

Firth has a learning difficulty that causes short term memory loss. [2] She therefore competes in the S14 classification.

Swimming career

On 31 August 2012, Firth, competing for Ireland in her first Paralympics, won a gold medal at the 2012 Paralympic games in London in the S14 100 metres backstroke final while representing Ireland. [3] [4] Firth, who has learning difficulties, had been swimming for only three years.

Firth won three silver medals at the 2013 IPC Swimming World Championships. [5]

Later in the same year she announced her intention to switch national team and swim for Team GB instead of Ireland after serving a period out of competition, [6] as "Team GB has other S14 swimmers – who have learning disabilities – with whom she can relate." [7] The following year she represented Northern Ireland in the 2014 Commonwealth Games, competing in seven events against non-disabled athletes. [8]

In March 2015 Firth broke the world record for the S14 100m breaststroke in qualifying for that year's IPC World Championships. [9] Firth failed to compete in the World Championships after suffering a fractured wrist in training just a few days before the competition. [10]

On 26 April 2016, in the qualifiers for the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio, Firth set a new world record in the S14 200 metres freestyle. [11] Competing at the British Para-International meet in Glasgow, she recorded a time of 2:03.70. [11]

On 8 September 2016, Firth defended the title that she had won in 2012 in the S14 100m backstroke, for the 2016 Summer Paralympics at Rio de Janeiro. She did this, winning in a world record time of 1:04.05 whilst competing for Paralympics GB. [12] She also won gold in the women's 200m freestyle S14, [13] and the women's 200m individual medley SM14, [14] and silver in the women's 100m breaststroke SB14. [15]

At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, Firth defended her title in the 100m backstroke S14 [16] and also won gold in the mixed 4 x 100m freestyle relay S14. [17] In addition, she took silver in the women's 200m freestyle S14 [18] and women's 200m individual medley SM14. [19]

Firth was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to swimming [20] [21] and promoted to Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours, also for services to swimming. [22] [23]

She has also received an honorary doctorate from Queen's University Belfast in 2017.

Recognition

She was recognized as one of the BBC's 100 women of 2019. [24]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessica Long</span> Russian-American Paralympic swimmer

Jessica Tatiana Long is a Russian-born American Paralympic swimmer from Baltimore, Maryland, who competes in the S8, SB7 and SM8 category events. She has held many world records and competed at six Paralympic Games, winning 30 medals. She has won over 50 world championship medals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kayla Clarke</span> Australian Paralympic swimmer

Kayla Clarke is an Indigenous Australian swimmer who represented Australia at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in swimming, and has medalled at the 2010 Australian Disability Age Group Nationals, and 2010 International Paralympic Swimming World Championships, 2009 Queensland State Championships, 2009 Queensland Secondary School Titles, and 2009 Global Games. She competes in a number of events, including the 100m freestyle, 100m backstroke, 100m breaststroke, 100m butterfly and 200m individual medley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel Fox (swimmer)</span> Australian Paralympic swimmer

Daniel Fox is an Australian Paralympic swimmer. He won a silver medal at the 2012 Summer Paralympics and gold medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. He represented Australia at the 2016 Rio Paralympics being awarded a bronze most recently in the 200m Freestyle S14. He has won gold at the Global Games, the Arafura Games, World Championships, Can-Am Championships, Para Pan Pacific Championships, EnergyAustralia Championships and the Commonwealth Games. Daniel also holds the world record for the 50m freestyle (24.77) and the 100m freestyle record (53.50) in the S14 classification. Daniel Fox is also the Australian ambassador for the INAS Global Games in 2019.

Hannah Russell is a British Paralympic swimmer competing in S12 classification events. In 2012, she became British S12 champion in the 100m backstroke and qualified for the 2012 Summer Paralympic Games where she won a silver in the 400m freestyle and a bronze in the 100m butterfly. In the 2016 Summer Paralympic Games, she won the gold medal in the 100m backstroke with the time of 1:06:06 earning her the World Record.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessica-Jane Applegate</span> British Paralympic swimmer

Jessica-Jane Applegate MBE is a British Paralympic swimmer. Applegate competes in the S14 classification for swimmers with intellectual disabilities, mainly freestyle and backstroke preferring shorter distances. She qualified for the 2012 Summer Paralympics and on 2 September, Applegate won the gold setting a Paralympic record in the S14 200m freestyle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephanie Millward</span> British Paralympic swimmer (born 1981)

Stephanie Millward is a British former Paralympic swimmer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 IPC Swimming World Championships</span>

The 2013 IPC Swimming World Championships was the seventh IPC Swimming World Championships, an international swimming competition, the biggest meet for athletes with a disability since the 2012 Summer Paralympics. It was held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and lasted from 12 to 18 August. Around 530 athletes competed from 57 different countries. The event was held in the Parc Jean Drapeau Aquatic Complex located at the Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montreal. 172 events were contested with 43 new world records set.

Amy Marren is a British para swimmer who became the SM9 200m individual medley world champion at the 2013 IPC Swimming World Championships.

Chloe Davies is a British Paralympic swimmer. Davies competes in S14 events mainly freestyle, backstroke and medley preferring shorter distances. She qualified for the 2012 Summer Paralympics becoming Great Britain's youngest competitor at the Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 IPC Swimming European Championships</span> European Swimming Competition held in 2014

The 2014 IPC Swimming European Championships was an international swimming competition held in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, from the 4th to the 10th of August. Around 375 athletes from 35 different countries attended. The venue, the Pieter van den Hoogenband Swimming Stadium, also held the 2010 IPC Swimming World Championships.

Jack Thomas is a British parasport swimmer. Thomas competes in the S14 classification for swimmers with intellectual disabilities, mainly freestyle and backstroke, preferring shorter distances. In 2014 he competed at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow representing Wales and took the bronze medal in the 200m freestyle S14.

Tully Alicia Jacqueline Kearney is a British Paralympic swimmer. Kearney currently competes in the S5/SB4/SM5 classification for swimmers with physical disabilities. She won gold and silver at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and followed this up at the Paris 2024 Games with two further gold medals, including retaining her 100 m freestyle S5 title. Since first competing at the World Para Swimming Championships in 2013 she has won thirteen World Championship medals, ten of which are gold. Kearney is a multiple British, European and World record holder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alice Tai</span> British Paralympic swimmer

Alice Rose Tai is a British paralympic swimmer. Tai competes in the SB8, SM8 and S8. She has represented Great Britain at European and World Championships and at the Commonwealth and Paralympic Games, gold medals at all levels.

Thomas Young is a British Paralympic swimmer. He represented Britain at the 2012 London Paralympics and has won medals at both the long course and short course World Championships.

Jeanette Clare Chippington is a British Paralympic swimmer and paracanoeist. Chippington has represented Great Britain at seven Paralympics, five in swimming Summer Paralympics, 1988 Seoul, 1992 Barcelona, 1996 Atlanta, Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004. Competing as a S6 classification swimmer she favoured mainly 50 m and 100m freestyle competitions. After retiring from swimming Chippington returned to disability sport, becoming a world class paracanoeist, winning gold at the 2016 Summer Paralympics and bronze at 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timothy Hodge</span> Australian Paralympic swimmer

Timothy Hodge is an Australian Paralympic swimmer. He has represented Australia at the 2016, 2020, and 2024 Summer Paralympics, where he won two gold, three silver and one bronze medals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toni Shaw</span> British Paralympic swimmer

Toni Stephanie Shaw is a British Paralympic swimmer. In 2019 she set the world record time for the S9 200m butterfly, and was also part of the team that set a new world record for the 4 × 100 m medley relay. At the 2020 Summer Paralympics, she won a bronze medal in the women's 400 metre freestyle S9 event and later went on to win gold at the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships, becoming the World Champion. She is a three-time World Champion and two-time European Champion.

Madeleine "Maddie" McTernan is an Australian Paralympic swimmer. She represented Australia at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics and 2024 Paris Paralympics where she won relay silver medals.

Suzanna Hext is a British Paralympic swimmer and equestrian, who won three gold medals in dressage at the 2017 FEI European Championships, and two medals at both the 2019 and 2023 World Para Swimming Championships. She finished fourth in two S5 swimming events at the 2020 Summer Paralympics.

Poppy Willow Maskill is a British Paralympic swimmer. Maskill competes in the S14, SM14 and SB14 classifications for swimmers with intellectual impairments. She won three gold and two silver medals at the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris, making her ParalympicsGB's most successful athlete at the Games.

References

  1. ↑ Bethany Firth Archived 23 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine . rio2016.com
  2. 1 2 Bell, Stephanie (22 January 2014). "Bethany Firth: Our golden girl". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  3. ↑ "NI's golden girl Bethany Firth 'over the moon' with Paralympic gold". BBC News. 31 August 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  4. ↑ "Bethany Firth". london2012.com. Archived from the original on 1 September 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  5. ↑ "Third silver for Firth at IPC World Championships in Montreal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  6. ↑ "BBC Sport – Bethany Firth: Swimmer switches from Ireland to Great Britain". BBC Sport. 18 December 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  7. ↑ David Kelly (19 December 2013). "Golden girl Bethany Firth in surprise switch to GB". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  8. ↑ Simon, Nic (26 July 2014). "Firth enjoys first action on equal terms alongside world's elite". Belfasttelegraph. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  9. ↑ Luney,Graham (27 March 2015). "Golden girl Bethany Firth is on top of the world". Belfasttelegraph. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  10. ↑ "Injured Bethany Firth ruled out of IPC World Championships". BBC Sport. 2 July 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  11. 1 2 "Bethany Firth, Eleanor Simmonds Set World Records at Para-International". swimmingworldmagazine.com. 26 April 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  12. ↑ Sport, Disability. "Rio Paralympics: Bethany Firth secures gold medal in world record time", BBC Sport . 9 September 2016. Retrieved on 9 September 2016.
  13. ↑ "Relive a magical day for ParalympicsGB". BBC Sport . 11 September 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  14. ↑ "Paralympics 2016: Day 10". BBC Sport . 17 September 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  15. ↑ "Rio 2016 Results: Swimming". International Paralympic Committee . Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  16. ↑ "Tokyo Paralympics: Dan Pembroke, Bethany Firth and Ben Watson win golds for Great Britain". BBC Sport . 2 September 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  17. ↑ "Tokyo Paralympics: Maisie Summers-Newton and mixed relay team add swimming golds". BBC Sport . 28 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  18. ↑ "Tokyo Paralympics: Bethany Firth takes silver in S14 200m freestyle final". BBC Sport. 27 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  19. ↑ "Tokyo Paralympics: Swimmer Reece Dunn sets world record to win third gold of Games". BBC Sport . 31 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  20. ↑ "No. 61803". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2016. p. N18.
  21. ↑ "New Year's Honours list 2017" (PDF). Gov.uk . Government Digital Service. 30 December 2016. p. 58. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  22. ↑ "No. 63571". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 2022. p. N12.
  23. ↑ "New Year Honours 2022: Jason Kenny receives a knighthood and Laura Kenny made a dame". BBC Sport. 31 December 2021.
  24. ↑ "BBC 100 Women 2019: Who is on the list this year?". BBC News. 15 October 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.