Who is Ellie Challis? Meet the Paralympics swimmer who’s heart stopped for two minutes aged 16 months
WHEN it comes to inspirational people, Ellie Challis is at the top of the list.
The Team GB Paralympic star is now hoping to emulate the success she had at Tokyo 2021 when she takes on Paris 2024.
Who is Ellie Challis?
Born on March 23, 2004, Ellie Challis is a British Paralympic swimmer who hails from Essex.
At just 16 months old she had both legs and both arms amputated.
Ellie has never seen her disability as a barrier and at primary school played football against her able-bodied friends.
Then, at 14, she became the first British quadruple amputee to master snowboarding.
In 2015, a chance meeting at their local Pizza Hut put Ellie in touch with a disabled swimming club.
Two years later she started competing, and two years after that she joined the GB regional squad.
In April 2019, at an international para-swimming meet in Glasgow, Ellie broke the British and European record for butterfly and the world record for breaststroke.
Months later she won a bronze medal at the world para-swimming championships in London.
Ellie then went on to win silver in the women’s 50 metre backstroke event at the 2020 Summer Paralympics.
She previously told BBC Sport: “I’ve got older brothers and sisters so I’ve grown up as the same as them and I’ve learned to do everything by myself.
“Sport, for me, was the way to be involved with people. Everyone assumes you can’t do a lot until they actually meet you.”
What sport will Ellie Challis compete in at the 2024 Paralympics?
Ellie is part of the Team GB squad at the Paralympic Games.
The swimmer will compete in the Women’s 50m backstroke and the Women’s 100m freestyle at Paris 2024.
She actually died for two minutes. Her heart stopped. We were in the room when she was flat-lining. It was that close.
Paul Challis, Ellie's dad
Ellie previously said: “My dad thought I’d never walk again. Now I’m representing my country at the Paralympics.
“I’m going to go out there and do my best and enjoy every minute of it. I can’t wait to get started.”
What happened to Ellie Challis?
Ellie, who has a twin sister Sophie, contracted meningitis aged 16 months, and was given just a five per cent chance of survival.
Speaking about that dreadful time, her dad Paul told The Sun: “It’s the word any parent dreads, meningitis
“She actually died for two minutes. Her heart stopped. We were in the room when she was flat-lining. It was that close.
“She was in a coma for five weeks and the only thing you can hope for is that she survives.
“Her fingertips and toes started to turn black, then you could see it rising up and up.”
Ellie was transferred from St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, West London to Broomfields Hospital in Chelmsford, Essex, in September 2005.
Four days later she had both legs amputated above the knee and both arms removed below the elbow due to septicaemia.
She then spent a further 17 days in hospital before returning home.
Paul, who gave up his job to be Ellie’s full-time carer, said: “For the first three months we were back in hospital almost every other day.
“It was almost constant appointments, check-ups and physiotherapy.”
Defying all odds, Ellie learned to walk at just nine months, long before her twin sister.
She got her first set of £20,000 prosthetic legs when she was three, funded by friends and neighbours in Rainham, Essex,.
All of the events taking place at the Paris 2024 Paralympics
Each sport is broken down into subcategories giving athletes the chance to compete on equal terms with those who have a similar impairment.
Here are the events:
- Para archery
- Para athletics
- Para badminton
- Blind football
- Boccia
- Para canoe
- Para cycling
- Para equestrian
- Goalball
- Para judo
- Para powerlifting
- Para rowing
- Shooting Para sport
- Sitting volleyball
- Para swimming
- Para table tennis
- Para taekwondo
- Para triathlon
- Wheelchair basketball
- Wheelchair fencing
- Wheelchair rugby
- Wheelchair tennis