Tracy Barrell

Tracy Lee Barrell, OAM (born 1974) is a triple congenital amputee Paralympic swimmer from Australia. She won two gold medals at the 1992 Barcelona Games. She is a strong advocate for people with disabilities and an indigenous Australian.

Tracy Barrell
Personal information
Full nameTracy Lee Barrell
Nationality Australia
Born1974
Medal record
Swimming
Paralympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1992 Barcelona Women's 4x50 m Freestyle S1-6
Gold medal – first place 1992 Barcelona Women's 50 m Butterfly S3-4

Personal

Barrell was born in 1974 in New South Wales.[1] From birth she had no legs and only one arm.[2] Barrell stated that doctors said her disability was due to genetic mutation from an anti morning sickness pill that her mother Terri had taken.[1] Barrell sat on a skateboard and used her one arm for her mobility as a child.[1] She decided not to use prosthetic legs.[1] She attended St Patrick's College, Sutherland in Sydney.[3][4]

She got married in February 1995 to Steve and got divorced 3 years later.[1] She has two sons with her new partner Brad – Bryce (2001) and Oscar (2004). She separated from her partner and raised the children as a single mother.[1]

Sporting career

In 1989, at the age of 14, her mother enrolled her with the NSW Amputee Sporting Association and she commenced her swimming career.[1] She was coached by Mick Maroney and later by Greg Hodge.[1][4] Her first major competition was the NSW State Games held at Narrabeen Sports Centre where she won gold in four swimming events and two athletics throwing events.[2] Her results led her to being award the Athlete of the Games. She was classified as a S4 swimmer.[3]

Thanks to her mother, who sold their farm to get tickets to Spain, she took part in the 1992 Barcelona Games.[1] She won two gold medals at the Paralympics in the Women's 4x50 m Freestyle S1-6 event and the Women's 50 m Butterfly S3-4 event and finished fourth in two individual events.[5]

In 1993, for her sporting achievements, including those at the Paralympic Games, she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).[6][7]

She retired from swimming in 1994 due to injury and surgery to her only arm.[2]

In 2008, she represented Australia at the Shanghai Women's Sitting Volleyball Tournament.[8]

Advocacy

Since her retirement from sport, she has been a strong advocate for opportunities for people with a disability.[8] Between 2008 and 2015, she was an ambassador for Don't DIS my ABILITY, a program that provides inspirational role models for people with disabilities.[1][9][10]

In 2011, she was denied access to all rides at Movie World Studios due to a change in their safety policy. In previous visits, she was able to access all the rides.[11]

In 2013, she was appointed as a Living Life My Way Ambassadors and Champions by the New South Wales Government.[12]

Barrell has indigenous heritage. In 2015 she was a spokesperson for First Peoples Disability Network and on December, 3rd she took part in a celebration of indigenous Paralympians at National Centre of Indigenous Excellence in Sydney.[13]

References
  1. "Barrell is proof that dreams can come true". That's Life website. Archived from the original on 4 September 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  2. "Tracy Barrell". One of Me. Archived from the original on 6 February 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  3. "Courage, determination pave Tracy's golden path to Spain More than 'mucking around' in the water". Canberra Times. 12 July 1992. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  4. McDonald, Margaret (7 April 1992). "Baked beans might help, says Laurie, but Tracy didn't need them". Canberra Times. p. 20. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  5. "Tracy Barrell". paralympic.org. International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  6. "Barrell, Tracy Lee". Australian Honours Search Facility. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  7. "QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY HONOURS". Canberra Times. 14 June 1993. p. 10. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  8. "Ambassadord 2009". Don't DIS my ABILITY website. 25 November 2009. Archived from the original on 12 April 2010. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  9. "Ambassadors - Don't DIS my ABILITY". 25 March 2017. Archived from the original on 25 March 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  10. "Don't DIS my ABILITY- No Offence, BUT!... A Comedy Cabaret". blog.ai-media.tv. 27 November 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  11. Tagan Williams; John Gass (13 September 2011). "Paralympian humiliated at theme park". Tweed Daily News. Archived from the original on 6 February 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  12. "Meet our Aboriginal Ambassadors and Champions". NSW Family and Community Services website. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  13. Australian Paralympic Committee (10 December 2015). "Australian Paralympians honoured on IDPD". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
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