Liz Johnson (swimmer)

Last updated

Liz Johnson
Personal information
Birth nameElizabeth Johnson
National team Team GB
Born (1985-12-03) 3 December 1985 (age 38) [1] [2] [3]
Newport, Wales, United Kingdom [1] [3]
Alma mater Swansea University
OccupationSwimmer
Height1.64 m (5  ft 5  in) [3]
Sport
CountryGreat Britain
Sport Paralympic swimming [1]
Disability Cerebral palsy [1]
Disability class S6 classification [1]
Event(s) Breaststroke, Freestyle
ClubTeam Bath
Coached byMark Skimming
Medal record
Paralympic Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2008 Beijing Women's SB6 100 m breaststroke [1] [3]
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2004 Athens Women's SB6 100 m breaststroke [1] [3]
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2012 London Women's SB6 100 m breaststroke
IPC World Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2006 Durban SB6 100 m breaststroke [1] [3]
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2006 Durban 4x50 m freestyle [3]
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2006 Durban 4x50 m medley [3]
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2010 Eindhoven SB6 100 m breaststroke
IPC World Championships (SC)
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2009 Rio de Janeiro SB6 100 m breaststroke [3]
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg2009 Rio de Janeiro SM6 200 m individual medley [3]
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg2009 Rio de Janeiro SM6 100 m individual medley [3]
IPC European Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2011 Berlin SB6 100 m breaststroke
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2009 Reykjavik SB6 100 m breaststroke [3]
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2001 Stockholm 200 m individual medley [3]
Updated on 12 September 2016.

Elizabeth Johnson (born 3 December 1985) is a British swimmer who has won gold medals in the Paralympic Games and International Paralympic Committee (IPC) world championships. [1] She has cerebral palsy, placing her in the S6 classification. [1]

Contents

Personal life

Johnson was born in Newport, Wales, on 3 December 1985. [1] [3] [4] She has cerebral palsy, [1] and, at the age of three, was encouraged by her mother to join a group for disabled swimmers to strengthen and relax her muscles. She came to love[ weasel words ] the sport, competing as an S6 swimmer, [1] [3] [4] and was selected to swim for Team GB at the age of 14. [2] Johnson attended Swansea University and in 2008, completed a degree in business management and finance. [1] [3] She currently lives in Bath, Somerset, [3] and trains with the University of Bath training group, Team Bath. [1] [3]

While Johnson was on the aeroplane to the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, her mother died after a long battle with cervical cancer. She decided to continue with the Games when she was told that the funeral could be held when she returned home. [2]

Johnson spends one day a week studying accountancy, and is considering a career in that field when she retires from competitive swimming. [1] [3]

She has been in a relationship with Brazilian para-swimmer Phelipe Rodrigues since 2011. [5]

In July 2016, Johnson appeared in the eleventh series of Celebrity Masterchef on BBC One.

She is an athlete mentor for the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust. [6]

Career

Swimming

Johnson is significant within the British Para Swimming Team; specialising in breaststroke, she is one of a select few to have won gold medals in the Paralympics, World Championships, and European Championships. [1] [7]

At the 2006 IPC Swimming World Championships in Durban, South Africa, Johnson won an individual gold medal in the 100 metre breaststroke, and two relay golds. [3] She repeated her breaststroke success at the 2009 event, breaking the world record in the process, [3] and also picked up two individual medley bronze medals. [3] She won gold in the 100 metre breaststroke at the 2008 Summer Paralympics, [1] [3] eleven days after the death of her mother, dedicating the victory to her memory. [1] [3] [2]

Johnson's successes were recognised when, in April 2011, she was given the honour of laying the final tile in the competition pool at the London Aquatics Centre. [1] [8] She was also selected as the Paralympic Oath taker for the 2012 Paralympic Games. [9]

Johnson added to her Paralympic medal collection at London 2012 Paralympics, as she set a new Paralympic record en route. Johnson recorded a season's best time of 1:40.90, to take the bronze medal in the SB6 100 m backstroke. In the buildup towards her fourth Paralympics at Rio, Johnson underwent an operation for a hernia. While recovering, she found herself falling behind in her training, which impacted on her preparation for the 2016 Paralympic trials. Her failure to make the trials resulted in her decision to retire from competitive swimming. [10]

Entrepreneurship

In August 2018, Johnson announced starting "The Ability People" an organization that is aimed at recruiting disabled people beside the able-bodied people without discrimination. [11] [12] [13] In 2018, she was listed as one of the BBC's 100 Women. [14]

TV Career

Johnson was a Channel 4 pundit during Rio Paralympics Games in 2016.

In 2024, she was appointed as executive producer by Whisper TV to cover the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. [15]


Related Research Articles

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

Jessica Tatiana Long is a Russian-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 five Paralympic Games, winning 29 medals. She has won over 50 world championship medals.

Eleanor May Simmonds, OBE is a British former Paralympian swimmer who competed in S6 events. She came to national attention when she competed in the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, winning two gold medals for Great Britain. She was the youngest member of the team, at the age of 13.

Stephanie Slater, is a British Paralympic swimmer competing in S8 classification events. Slater began her sporting career as an able bodied athlete, but after suffering nerve damage to her left arm she switched to parasport. In 2013, she qualified for the Swimming World Championships in Montreal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sophie Pascoe</span> New Zealand Paralympic swimmer

Dame Sophie Frances Pascoe is a New Zealand para-swimmer. She has represented New Zealand at four Summer Paralympic Games from 2008, winning a total of eleven gold medals, seven silver medals and one bronze medal, making her New Zealand's most successful Paralympian. She has also represented New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games.

Sascha Kindred is a British swimmer who has competed in six Summer Paralympic Games, winning thirteen medals.

Nyree Elise Kindred MBE is a Welsh swimmer who has competed in the Paralympic Games on four occasions winning ten medals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarah Storey</span> British cyclist

Dame Sarah Joanne Storey, is a British Paralympic athlete in cycling and swimming, and a multiple gold medalist in the Paralympic Games, and six times British (able-bodied) national track champion. Her total of 28 Paralympic medals including 17 gold medals makes her the most successful and most decorated British Paralympian of all time as well as one of the most decorated Paralympic athletes of all time. She has the unique distinction of winning five gold medals in Paralympics before turning 19.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blake Cochrane</span> Australian Paralympic swimmer

Blake Cochrane, is a retired Australian Paralympic swimmer. He won a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, two gold medals at the 2012 London Paralympics, a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, and a silver and one bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew Haanappel</span> Australian Paralympic swimmer

Matthew Anthony "Matt" Haanappel, is an Australian Paralympic swimmer. He was born in Wantirna, Victoria and resides in the far eastern suburbs of Melbourne. He has cerebral palsy right hemiplegia. Haanappel has represented Australia at the 2012 Summer Paralympics, the 2013 IPC Swimming World Championships, the 2014 Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships, the 2016 Summer Paralympics, and the 2018 Commonwealth Games. He represents the Camberwell Grammar School Aquatic club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tanya Huebner</span> Australian Paralympic swimmer

Tanya Huebner is an Australian swimmer. She has represented Australia at the 2012 London and the 2016 Rio Paralympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Fisher (swimmer)</span> New Zealand Paralympic swimmer

Mary Elizabeth Fisher is a New Zealand para swimmer. She represented New Zealand at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London and the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, combined winning two gold medals, two silver medals and a bronze medal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlotte Henshaw</span> British Paralympic swimmer

Charlotte Sarah Henshaw is a British Paralympic full-time athlete across multiple disciplines. Originally a swimmer, she changed to canoeing from 2017, becoming the reigning World champion in the KL2 (five-time) and VL3 (three-time) 200m events. In September 2021, at the delayed 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, she became a Paralympic champion at her fourth games, winning the Women's KL2 event.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikita Howarth</span> New Zealand para-cyclist and para-swimmer

Nikita Stevie Howarth is a New Zealand para-cyclist and para-swimmer. She became New Zealand's youngest ever Paralympian after being selected for the 2012 Summer Paralympics, aged 13 years 8 months. She again represented New Zealand at the 2016 Summer Paralympics, where she won the gold medal in the women's 200 metre individual medley SM7 and the bronze medal in the women's 50 metre butterfly S7.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiffany Thomas Kane</span> Australian Paralympic swimmer

Tiffany Thomas Kane, is a retired Australian Paralympic swimmer. She represented Australia at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, winning a gold and three bronze medals, and at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, winning a further two bronze medals.

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

Timothy Malcolm Disken, is an Australian paralympic swimmer. He represented Australia at the 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships and won bronze in the men's 4 × 100 m freestyle relay. At the 2016 Rio Paralympics, he won a gold medal in the men's 100m freestyle S9, a silver medal in the men's S9 50m freestyle and a bronze medal in the men's 200m individual medley SM9. He also competed at the 2020 Summer Paralympics.

Eleanor "Ellie" Robinson is an English swimmer. Competing in SB6 and S6 classification events, Robinson holds the World record and the Paralympic record in the S6 50m butterfly and the World record in the 100m, setting both at the age of 13.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oksana Khrul</span> Ukrainian Paralympic swimmer

Oksana Khrul is a Ukrainian para-swimmer, competing in S6, SM6 and SB7 categories.

Maisie Summers-Newton, PLY is a British Paralympic swimmer, competing in S6 disability events. In August 2018, she took gold in the IPC Swimming European Championships SM6 200m individual medley and set a new world record at 2:59.60. She also holds the S6 100m Breaststroke world record in 1:32.16 which she achieved in May 2018 at the British Para-Swimming International Meet. She won two gold medals for Great Britain at the 2020 Summer Paralympics.

Nicole Turner, of Portarlington, Laois, is an Irish para-swimmer, competing mainly in the S6, short stature category.

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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 "Aquatics 2012; Meet the Team – Elizabeth Johnson". Swimming.org. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Liz Johnson – Paralympics GB – London 2012 Olympics". The Daily Telegraph . Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 "Liz Johnson CV" (PDF). Threshold Sports. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2010. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Elizabeth Johnson". Channel 4. Archived from the original on 28 August 2012. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  5. ↑ Rebello, Helena (25 April 2015). "Fora das piscinas, britânica aproveita Open para rever namorado brasileiro" [Outside the pool, Briton takes Open to review Brazilian boyfriend] (in Portuguese). globo.com . Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  6. ↑ Abernethy, Laura (13 May 2020). "My Quarantine Routine: Liz, a former Paralympian working from home". Metro . Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  7. ↑ "Liz Johnson biography" (PDF). MTC. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  8. ↑ "Final tile laid in London 2012 pool". Government of the United Kingdom. April 2011. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  9. ↑ Frampton, Ben (31 August 2012). "Swim coach speaks of pride as Newport star takes Paralympic oath". South Wales Argus . Newsquest Media (Southern) Ltd. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
  10. ↑ "Swimmer Liz Johnson retires ahead of Rio 2016 after injuries". BBC Sport. 20 April 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  11. ↑ "The UK's first disability-led employment agency is about to launch". The Independent. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  12. ↑ "Liz Johnson, ex-Paralympian, starts the UK's first disability-led employment agency - RECRUITING TIMES". RECRUITING TIMES. 13 August 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  13. ↑ Evans, Peter (15 July 2018). "Paralympian Liz Johnson makes splash in jobs market". The Sunday Times. ISSN   0956-1382 . Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  14. ↑ "BBC 100 Women 2018: Who is on the list?". BBC News. 19 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  15. ↑ Broadcast NOw. Whisper makes Liz Johnson Executive Producer
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.