Ellie Simmonds

• Born: 11 November 1994

Ellie Simmonds

Five-time Paralympic champion Ellie Simmonds came to national attention when she competed in the 2008 Beijing Games at the age of 13.

She won the first of her eight Paralympic medals in China, where she was the youngest British athlete, topping the podium in both the S6 100m and 400m Freestyle races.

It led to her being appointed an MBE in the 2009 New Year Honours list for services to disabled sport – the youngest person to have received the accolade.

Further success followed at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Games before Simmonds called time on her competitive career following the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, having been ParalympicsGB’s flagbearer for the opening ceremony.

In addition to her Paralympic glory, Simmonds also won 21 gold medals at World and European Championships and picked up 10 other podium places.

She was elevated to OBE in the 2013 New Year Honours list for services to Paralympic sport.

Since her retirement from the pool, Simmonds has continued to be an ambassador for swimming.

She was an independent member on the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games board of directors and was also an analyst for the BBC.

Additionally, Simmonds, who was the youngest ever winner of the BBC’s Young Sports Personality of the Year Award in 2008, has worked with charities including the Dwarf Sports Association, WaterAid, I AM WATER and the Scout Association.