Life splashes before her eyes: How swimming for rehabilitation led to gold and a world record
The water is formless, shapeless, as it laps against the edge of the pool.
“You know, I’m pretty happy with this year – it’s been my most successful year yet and can’t really complain about that, to be honest,” she says with a laugh. “We took that challenge head on, and I guess this year’s results of Commonwealth Games champion, world record, two silver medals showed that it was the right teamwork.”But what happens poolside is as important as the race.Advertisement
Her family hadn’t known she was visually impaired until she started to fall, bump into things and turned up with more bruises than did her twin brother Michael.Dedekind, left, and her coach, Kate Sparkes.She was a step behind her brother in all the sports he played. Rugby. Soccer. Tennis.She pauses. “Then, he started swimming.” And before long, competing.Suddenly, 50-metre-long pools of water represented worlds of opportunities for Dedekind.
Then came a gold at the Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships in Cairns for the 100-metre backstroke. Dedekind was yet to turn 17 years old.
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