Multiple World Record Holder & International Gold Medalist Brock Whiston Is Tearing Up The Para Swimming World Whilst Giving Back To Leave Her Own Legacy

Your London Legacy

Multiple world record holder and international gold medal para swimmer—Brock Whiston is taking her sport to new heights. 22-year-old Brock was born with Hemiplegia, although this was not diagnosed till she was 17. Hemiplegia causes weakness down one side of her body, but she never let this get her down and indeed proved a talented swimmer amongst non-disabled competitors when she was younger. When she became aware she was eligible for para swimming she tore up the record books in her breakthrough years of 2018 and 2019. Brock is an incredible sporting talent and a wonderful young lady too. Not only is she training hard with her eyes firmly set on the success at the summer Paralympics next year in Tokyo, but she spends much of her time giving back—teaching children with additional needs to swim and going into schools to inspire the next generation to be the best possible version of themselves. I for one will be cheering Brock on next year as I’m sure she is destined for glory. “I said to everybody – I don’t want to be treated differently. I’m the same person. I worked hard to where I am today, it wasn’t just luck. It was hard work and commitment.” 4:42 Para swimming has a wide variety of classifications – S1 to S10 – they range from very disabled and limited movements, and then S10 is least disabled. S11 to S13 is visually impaired athletes, and S14 is learning difficulties. Brock is S8 which means two limbs of her body are affected. Brock wasn’t diagnosed until she was sixteen years old. She was called lazy by her teachers and doctors – she didn’t get help in school. Hemiplegia not only affects her body but also her ability to take in information, reading in particular. “I think sometimes where disabilities get mixed up—just because you’ve got a disability doesn’t mean you’re not able to do things—you just do everything a different way.” 17:51 Brock started swimming when she was just six years old and was instantly enamored with it not only as a recreation, but a sport. She continued to swim while in school as it was something she knew she could do without asking help and without her teachers looking down at her. She had a wonderful coach who ended up chatting with an Olympic para swimmer, who went on to encourage Brock to go and get a full diagnosis. Finally after being diagnosed, she buckled down into para swimming qualified for the World Para Swimming Series in Berlin—the site where she would go on to break her first world record. 33:20 Brock has gone on to break more records at the World Para Swimming Championships in London this September and take home six gold medals. Next on her list is to qualify for the Tokyo Paralympics where she undoubtedly has her sights set on more gold and world records. Brock is participating in the IDDP Project where any disabled persons can come to the pool for free and get instruction and swim. While she is still in the middle of her career, Brock sees herself continuing in the sport for the rest of her life through coaching and teaching swimming to others who are just like her, and very much just like you as well. Links Brock Whiston Profile Twitter