Twelve weeks ahead of London 2012, I was in intensive care, desperate to get out. I’d collapsed after a training session and ended up in a coma, but after the years of hard work and hours I’d put in at the pool, I couldn’t let that stop me from competing.
I was born with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome. It’s so rare that I wasn’t diagnosed until I was 16. I’d had lots of health complications during my childhood – low blood sugar, an odd walk, poor immunity – but doctors were baffled.
I’d always been a strong swimmer, and I’d swum competitively since I was eight. But, as I got older, I kept being disqualified for one-sided touches, an asymmetrical kick, and wobbling on the block – all things I now know are part of my disability.
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