Miranda Uhl

Miranda Uhl (born October 15, 1992) is an American Paralympic swimmer. She won a gold medal at the 2008 Summer Paralympics. At the Parapan American Games, Uhl won six gold medals and three silver medals.

Miranda Uhl
Personal information
Nationality United States
Born (1992-10-15) October 15, 1992
Gainesville, Florida, United States
Height4 ft 2 in (1.27 m)[1]
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesIndividual medley, butterfly, freestyle, backstroke
ClubGator Swim Club
Medal record
Women's swimming
Representing  United States
Paralympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2008 Beijing 200 m individual medley
Paralympic World Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Manchester 100 m butterfly
Parapan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2007 Rio de Janeiro 50 m butterfly
Gold medal – first place 2007 Rio de Janeiro 100 m backstroke
Gold medal – first place 2007 Rio de Janeiro 100 m breaststroke
Gold medal – first place 2007 Rio de Janeiro 100 m breaststroke
Gold medal – first place 2007 Rio de Janeiro 200 m individual medley
Gold medal – first place 2007 Rio de Janeiro 400 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 2007 Rio de Janeiro 500 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 2007 Rio de Janeiro 100 m backstroke
Silver medal – second place 2007 Rio de Janeiro 4 x 100 metre medley

Born with achondroplasia, Uhl began to swim competitively at ten years old. She competed in the 2007 Parapan Games, where she won 8 medals.

Personal life

Uhl was born to Deanna and Alan Uhl on October 15, 1992.[2][3] A day after being born, Uhl was determined to have achondroplasia,[2] restricting the growth of her limbs.[4] She has a younger sister.[2] When she was ten years old, Uhl started swimming competitively. She joined the Dwarf Athletic Association of America (DAAA) and started preparing for the Paralympics.[3]

At twelve years old, she joined the Gator Swim Club with Jennifer Davis as her coach.[5] When she was fifteen years old, Uhl started having excruciating pain in her back and knees.[5] Her coach, Jennifer Davis, convinced her to postpone surgery to straighten her spine.[5] The surgery would have prevented Uhl from competing in the 2008 Summer Paralympics, and Davis told her that anything could happen to her between the 2008 and 2012 Paralympics that might prevent her from competing in later Paralympics. According to Davis, "she's just an amazing swimmer — if she were normal size she'd be one of the best in the world, easily — and I would hate to see her lose an opportunity like this."[5] Miranda Uhl swam two hours a day, six days a week.[6]

In middle school, Uhl attended St. Patrick's Catholic School in Gainesville, Florida.[6] She attended St. Francis High School, which is also in Gainesville, Florida.[7] Her hometown is in Alachua, Florida.[8] She attended Florida Atlantic University, where she joined the swim team and was a biology–pre-medical major.[1]

Swimming career

Miranda Uhl competed on the 2007 U.S. Parapan American swimming team.[9] She won eight medals at the Parapan Games,[10] five were gold and three were silver.[3][11] In the 2008 Summer Paralympics, Miranda Uhl won a gold medal in the 200-meter individual medley.[12] She broke the world record in that competition with a 3:13.05 finish.[13][14]

References
  1. King, Chuck (2011-11-07). "Don't sell her short". FAUOwlAccess. Archived from the original on 2012-12-15. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  2. Kirkland, Gary (2003-09-06). "She's short in stature, long on accomplishment". The Gainesville Sun. Archived from the original on 2019-07-28. Retrieved 2019-07-28.
  3. "Miranda Uhl". Paralympics. Archived from the original on 2008-08-25. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  4. Cox, Craig (2008-09-11). "Going for gold: Local girl leaves her mark in history". Alachua County Today. Archived from the original on 2008-09-18. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  5. Hyppolite, Karl (2008-09-06). "American Uhl stands tall in pool". The Gainesville Sun. Archived from the original on 2008-09-20. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  6. Bornstein, Adam (2007-04-10). "Paralympic hopeful is making a splash". The Gainesville Sun. Archived from the original on 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  7. "2008-2009 Athletic Accomplishments: Swimming" (PDF). St. Francis High School. 2009. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-03-22. Retrieved 2010-03-21.
  8. Cox, Craig (2008-08-14). "Girl to represent Alachua, U.S. at Paralympics in China". Alachua County Today. Archived from the original on 2011-06-11. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  9. "Athletes Nominated for 2007 U.S. Parapan American Swimming Team". USOC. 2007-03-26. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  10. Bleiker, Ann (2007-08-21). "Swimming: U.S. Swim team wraps up competition with 57 medals at Parapan Am Games". USOC. Archived from the original on 2007-06-07. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  11. "Britain Celebrates Successful World Cup". Women Sport Report. 2008-05-11. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  12. "World and Paralympic records flood the Water Cube". Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games. 2008-09-07. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  13. "Uhl wins gold after setting world mark". The Gainesville Sun. 2008-09-07. Archived from the original on 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  14. Schwarz, Alan (2008-09-07). "Gold for a Swimmer Who Gets Faster as He Goes". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-09-13.
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