Gold rush for deaf Doncaster swimmer as Paralympics beckons
A deaf teenage swimmer from Doncaster is making waves in the Paralympic world after clinching two gold medals and a British junior record at a national swim event.
Zoe Clayton, from Scawthorpe, claimed gold and the record of 42.86 seconds in the 400m freestyle race at the Disability Sports Event (DSE) National Junior Championships, held at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre in Sheffield recently. She also won gold in the 50m butterfly.
The 17-year-old Doncaster College for the Deaf student then won silver medals in 100m freestyle and 200m individual medley events before a shoulder injury forced her to withdraw from the competition ahead of the upcoming Paralympic trials at the end of March.
Zoe, a sports studies student at the deaf college, said: “I’m delighted to have won two more gold medals but it was sensible to withdraw with the trials coming up. I want to be in perfect condition to give myself the best chance of going to Beijing.
“I am confident in my ability and know that if I perform I’ll qualify. Once I’m there I’ll be going for a Paralympic Gold and that really excites me!”
Zoe will be competing at the British Championships from March 31 until April 5 and the British International Disability Swimming Championships from April 25 to 27 at Ponds Forge, which will also incorporate British selection trials for the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.
Jon Smith, programme manager for sports at Doncaster College for the Deaf, said: “We’re all extremely proud of Zoe. She is a naturally talented swimmer and her dedication is second to none.
“She trains five times a week from 5am and fits her studies in on top. She is an incredible talent and we are giving her all the support we can so she can get to Beijing and bring that gold medal back to Doncaster.”
Posted: Fri 07-Mar-2008 9:04AM