Ellie Cole

Ellie Victoria Cole, OAM (born 12 December 1991) is an Australian Paralympic swimmer and wheelchair basketball player. After having her leg amputated due to cancer, she trained in swimming as part of her rehabilitation program and progressed more rapidly than instructors had predicted. She began competitive swimming in 2003 and first competed internationally at the 2006 IPC Swimming World Championships, where she won a silver medal. Since then, she has won medals in the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, the Commonwealth Games, the Paralympic Games, the IPC Swimming World Championships, and various national championships. At the 2012 London Paralympics, she won four gold and two bronze medals. After the Games, she underwent two shoulder reconstructions and made a successful return to swimming at the 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships winning five medals including three gold medals. She represented Australia at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympics, winning two gold medals, three silver and a bronze.