"Eleanor "Ellie" Simmonds MBE (born 11 November 1994 in Walsall, West Midlands)[1] is a British Paralympian swimmer who has achondroplasia. Personal life Born in Walsall, she grew up in neighbouring Aldridge, and attended Aldridge School. She now lives part time in Swansea and trains for two hours at a time in nine training sessions per week at the Wales National Pool. Before moving to Swansea, she swam for Boldmere Swimming Club in Sutton Coldfield, under Head Coach Ashley Cox and several other coaches. In 2008, following her success in Beijing she was made a life member of the club. To this date she still maintains her links with Boldmere Swimming Club, swimming at the annual Club Championships and occasionally attending training sessions when she returns from Swansea. She also took part in All Star Family Fortunes which was broadcast on 29 November 2009, which made her the youngest team captain they ever had on the show. She played the game with her aunt, trainer, cousin and brother and won £1,520 for her chosen charity. In August 2012, Ellies former school, Cooper and Jordan, in the Green, Aldridge have renamed their Swimming Pool after the Paralympian following her gold medals at London 2012. [edit]Career At the age of 13, Simmonds was the youngest British athlete[2] at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, competing in the 50m, 100m and 400m freestyle, 50m butterfly, and 200m Individual Medley.[3] She won gold medals in the 100m and 400m freestyle events.[4] On 1 September 2012, Simmonds repeated her Gold performance to win the 400m freestyle at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, in which she took five seconds off the World Record time[5]. Two days later, on the evening of 3rd September, she took Gold in the 200m Individual Medley, breaking the World Record that she had set in the qualifying round that morning.[6] In addition, Simmonds has won ten gold World Championship titles.[7] She swims in the S6 disability category. [edit]Honours and awards She won the 2008 BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award. Simmonds was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2009 New Year Honours.[8] At 14 years old, she became the youngest person ever to have received this honour.[9] She received the honour from Queen Elizabeth II on 18 February 2009.[10] In March 2012, in the 200 m individual medley, she became the first swimmer to break a world record at London's Aquatics Centre. Her victory in a time of 3:08.14 broke her own previous best time by over half a second.[11] In 2011, Simmonds won the award for 'Best British Sporting Performance for an Athlete with Disability' at the Jaguar Academy of Sport Annual Awards.[12] She has broken her Personal Best and 2 World Records." - Winckel

an impressive girl - Winckel