Carolyn Connors

Last updated

Carolyn Connors
Personal information
NationalityFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Medal record
Swimming
Paralympic Games
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1980 Arnhem Women's 100 m Butterfly A
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1980 Arnhem Women's 100 m Freestyle A
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1980 Arnhem Women's 4x50 m Individual Medley A

Carolyn Connors (born 1960/1961) [1] is an Australian Paralympic swimmer with a vision impairment. She comes from Newcastle and has been blind since birth. [1] She began competitive swimming at the age of 12. [1] At the 1980 Arnhem Paralympics, where she was the only female Australian swimmer to be selected, [2] she won two silver medals in the Women's 100 m Butterfly A and Women's 100 m Freestyle A events and a bronze medal in the Women's 4x50 m Individual Medley A event. [3] She participated in the 1977 and 1982 FESPIC Games, winning four gold medals in the latter competition, and won 20 swimming gold medals throughout her career. [1] [2] She also broke a world record in the 100 m butterfly at the National Blind Swimming Championships in 1980. [2] Her first swimming coach was Dennis Day and she was later coached by Eric Arnold. [1]

She completed a year-long course at a teacher's college and was then told that she would not be allowed to do the practical teaching component. [1] After the teaching course she studied at the University of Newcastle, and was named the university's sportsperson of the year in 1981. [4] In 1983, she switched from swimming to athletics to allow herself more time to concentrate on her studies. [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Cornish, Wes (18 December 1983). "Carolyn Lines Up for a New Start – The Fast Lane to New Glory". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 38. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 "It's a sporting life – 40 years of learning". The Newcastle Herald. 23 September 2005. pp. 20–21.
  3. "Athlete Search Results". International Paralympic Committee . Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  4. "Past Recipients – Sports Person Of The Year". Newcastle University Sport. Retrieved 21 May 2012.