Sport
18 March, 2024
Inspiring teen swimmer
BOASTING incredible records and inspiring athletes with disabilities to aim higher, 14-year-old Sophie Crumpton is making history becoming FNQ’s second female multiclass swimmer in the last decade to compete at the Australian Age and Open Championships this April.
At two-years-old, Sophie Crumpton from Mooroobool was diagnosed with a mandarin-sized benign brain tumour that paralysed her entire right side. After eight hours of surgery, and uncountable hours of therapy, Miss Crumpton was able to fully recover, walk again and improve mobility.
The teenager started swimming in 2021 as she was looking for a fun sport that would help her get stronger. What she discovered was a passion and talent that would take her to become the best multiclass swimmer in FNQ.
Having started competing in local and state competitions with Central Cairns Swimming, in the past three years Miss Crumpton has broken 18 Queensland records in the multiclass category, she’s the current FNQ multiclass champion in under-15s, and has made national qualifying times which are now taking her to the Australian Age and Open Championship for the first time in Gold Coast, from April 6-20, against the best swimmers in Australia.
“What I enjoy the most about swimming is seeing all of my swim mates and hanging out with them. Competing is tough, I like it sometimes,” Miss Crumpton said as she laughed. “My favourite stroke is breaststroke and it’s my strongest one. I’m proud of myself, and it feels really good to break records. At these championships I’d like to break more Queensland records, more personal bests (PB), and make better times.
“I’m proud that my family, friends, coaches and swim mates are watching me and I hope make more PBs to represent my swim and my club.
“I’d really like to become a role model and inspire young starters to swim and compete, in the future I’d also like to compete in the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.”
Her father Nigel Crumpton said he was extremely proud of his daughter’s achievements and hoped her story could inspire more young kids with disabilities to go into sport.
“Sophie had a brain tumour the size of a tennis ball, it left her with a right-side weakness, and a physical impairment, so it makes us extremely proud to see her thrive,” he said.
“We’re very happy because it’s hard to get kids with disabilities into sport, we’re in a very inclusive club that really brought her out of her shell and what she has achieved is huge.
“We would like more multiclass kids with disabilities to go into sport and if Sophie can show them, it can be done, we’d like her to do that.”
