Keira Stephens (born 17 March 2003)[1] is an Australian Paralympic swimmer. At the 2020 Summer Paralympics, she won two bronze medals.[2] At the 2024 Paris Paralympics, she won a gold medal as a heat. [3]
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| Nationality | Australian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 17 March 2003 England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 184 cm (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sport | Swimming | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Classifications | S10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Southport Olympic SC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coach | Glenn Baker | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Personal life
editStephens was born on 17 March 2003 in England.[4] She was born missing fingers on her left hand. She comes from Hervey Bay, Queensland and attended Xavier Catholic College.[5]
Swimming career
editStephens started swimming at the Hervey Bay swimming club under coach Paul Jones. She is classified as a S10 swimmer. Her first international competition was the 2018 Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships, Cairns, where she won the silver medal in the Women’s 100m Breaststroke SB9.[4]
At the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships, London, Stephens finished fourth in the Women’s 100m Breaststroke SB9, fifth in the Women’s 4 × 100 m Medley 34 Points, sixth in the Women’s 200m Individual Medley SM10 and eighth in the Women’s 50m Freestyle S10.[5]
At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, Stephens won a bronze medal in the 34pts Women's 4x100m Medley 34 pts. Her team of Ellie Cole, Emily Beecroft, and Isabella Vincent clocked 4:55.70.[6] She also won a bronze medal in the Women's 100 m breaststroke SB9 .She also swam in two other individual events[7]
At the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships, Madeira, Stephens won two medals - gold in Mixed 4 × 100 m medley relay 34 pts and silver in the Women's 100 m Breaststroke SB9.[8]
At the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Birmingham, England, she won the bronze medal in the Women's 200 m individual medley SM10.[9] At the 2023 World Para Swimming Championships, Manchester, England, Stephens won a bronze medal in the Women's 100 m Breaststroke SB9.
At the 2024 Paris Paralympics, she won the gold medal in the Mixed 4 x 100 m medley relay 34 pts as a heat swimmer. In three other events - Women's 50 m freestyle S9 (10th), Women's 100 m breaststroke SB9 (4th) and Women's 200 m individual medley SM10 (7th).
Stephens is coached by Glen Baker at Southport on the Gold Coast
References
edit- ^ "Jake Michel". Paralympics Australia. 12 March 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
- ^ "Paralympics Australia Names Powerful Para-Swimming Team For Tokyo". Paralympics Australia. 16 June 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
- ^ "Paralympics Australia Names Swimming Team For Paris 2024 Games". Paralympics Australia. 14 June 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
- ^ a b "Keira Stephens". Paralympics Australia. 17 March 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
- ^ a b "Keira Stephens". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
- ^ "Australian Paralympic Team for Tokyo 2021". The Roar. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
- ^ "Keira Stephens Results". Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 26 August 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
- ^ "Grant Patterson". 2022 World Para Swimming Championships. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
- ^ "Cole, Patterson And Levy Amongst Stars Of The Pool Ready To Splash And Dash In Birmingham". Commonwealth Games Australia. 5 May 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
External links
edit- Keira Stephens at Swimming Australia (archived)
- Keira Stephens at Paralympics Australia
- Keira Stephens at the International Paralympic Committee