Col Pearse

Col Pearse
Personal information
NationalityAustralian
Born (2003-07-10) 10 July 2003 (age 21)
Echuca, Victoria
Height183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight80 kg (176 lb)
Sport
SportSwimming
ClassificationsS10, SB9, SM10
ClubNunawading Swim Club
CoachJol Finck
Medal record

Col Pearse (born 10 July 2003) is an Australian Paralympic swimmer. At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, he won the bronze medal in the 100 m butterfly S10.[1] At the 2024 Paris Paralympics, he won the silver medal Men's 200 m medley SM10. [2]

Early life

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Pearse was born on 10 July 2003 in Echuca, Victoria, to Teena and Julian Pearse.[3] He is the youngest of four children.[4]

At the age of two, Pearse’s right foot was amputated below the ankle after a collision with a ride-on lawnmower.[5][6] He still has his heel bone intact so he can walk on his stump, though his right side is about 5 cm shorter than his left so he has a pronounced limp.[6]

In 2018, Pearse relocated to Melbourne train with a specialist coach at the H2O Swimming Club.[7] He attended St Michael's Grammar School in Melbourne.[7][8] In 2023, he was studying a bachelor of sports media at Holmesglen in Melbourne.[9]

In 2024, Pearse featured in Woolworths Olympics and Paralympics advertising campaign for Paris 2024. The advertisement focused on Pearse swimming training in his family's farm dam and community support. [10]

Career

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Besides swimming, Pearse played junior Australian Rules football for the Lockington Cats under-12s, wearing a blue-and-white hooped prosthetic foot inspired by his beloved Geelong Football Club.[6] In late 2016, he was selected as a member of the Australian Paralympic Development Squad. In 2019, he was selected on his first Australian swim team.[11] At the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships in London, he won the bronze medal in the men's 100 m butterfly S10 and sixth in the men's 100 m backstroke S10 and men's 200 m individual medley SM10.[12]

At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, Pearse won the bronze medal in the men's 100 metre butterfly S10 with a time of 57:66, 3 seconds slower than the gold medal winner Maksym Krypak of Ukraine who set a world record. Pearse competed in the men's 200 m individual medley SM10 and made the final where he finished fourth. He also made the final of the men's 100 m backstroke S10 where he finished eighth.[13]

At the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships in Madeira, Pearse won two silver medals - men's 100 m butterfly S10 and Men’s 200 m individual medley SM10.[14]

At the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Pearse won the gold medal in the men's 100 m butterfly S10.[15] At the 2023 World Para Swimming Championships in Manchester, England, Pearse won two medals - silver in the Men's 200 m medley SM10 and bronze in the Men's 100 m butterfly S10.

At the 2024 Paris Paralympics, he won the silver medal in the Men's 200 m medley SM10 and finished fourth in the Men's 100 butterfly S10.[16] After winning the silver medal, Pearse reflected on his regional upbringing by stating ""I think for every Australian back home living with a disability, coming from the middle of nowhere in Australia, we tend to think they'll never go far in life" and "And I think that swim there, it really shows it doesn't matter where you come from or who you are, if you've got a dream it's achievable."[16]

Recognition

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References

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  1. ^ "Paralympics Australia Names Powerful Para-Swimming Team For Tokyo". Paralympics Australia. 16 June 2021. Archived from the original on 16 June 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  2. ^ "Paralympics Australia Names Swimming Team For Paris 2024 Games". Paralympics Australia. 14 June 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  3. ^ "Pearse family's pride after Col's Games gold medal". Riverine Herald. 4 August 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  4. ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  5. ^ "Col Pearse". International Paralympic Committee website. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
  6. ^ a b c Tuckerman, Raelee (7 June 2014). "Inspiring youngster turns adversity into sporting success". Bendigo Advertiser. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
  7. ^ a b "'This is my sport' – St Michael's future Paralympian". St Michael Grammar School website. 11 May 2018. Archived from the original on 12 March 2019. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
  8. ^ Gates, Zacchary (26 January 2024). "his Aussie had a leg amputated when he was four. He's now a world champion with an amazing outlook". Wide World of Sports. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  9. ^ "Col Pease Shines a light on Education". Swimming Australia. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  10. ^ "Australian Paralympian Col Pearse Stars in Woolworths' Campaign | Paralympics Australia". 17 July 2024.
  11. ^ Johnston, Andrew (26 April 2019). "Col conquers another hurdle". Rivernia Herald. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
  12. ^ "Col Pearse". 2019 World Para Swimming Championships Results. Archived from the original on 27 August 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
  13. ^ "Col Pearse". Tokyo Paralympics Official Results. Archived from the original on 8 October 2021. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  14. ^ "Grant Patterson". 2022 World Para Swimming Championships. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  15. ^ "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.
  16. ^ a b "Aussie amputee's stirring message after medal-winning swim". Nine. 7 September 2024. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  17. ^ "Col Pearse Swimming". Sport Australia Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  18. ^ "Montag Shines Bright At The VIS Award Of Excellence". Victorian Institute of Sport. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
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