Ellie Robinson ready to soak up experience in Australia

Paralympic champion Eleanor Robinson is hoping to learn from everyone during her trip to Australia for the Commonwealth Games.

The trip to the Gold Coast will be the Northampton swimmer’s first taste of Commonwealth Games action and she is relishing the opportunity of being in a mixed team.

Ellie Robinson
  • Age: 16
  • Club: Northampton
  • Coach: Jacquie Marshall
  • CWG: Making debut on Gold Coast

“For me it’s really about gaining more experience and knowledge in events like this to help carry me into Tokyo,” said Robinson, 16, who won 50m Butterfly gold at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio. “I want to gain all the knowledge I can before 2020.

“It’s really nice we have able bodied swimmers as well because I never get to compete or go on training camps with able bodied swimmers. It’s been nice to get to know them as well.

“They have quite a close knit community with people from different swimming clubs. So I know a lot of swimmers from Northampton who know the able bodied swimmers and it’s nice I get a chance to know them and see who they are.

“Graeme Smith is one of the coaches at the performance centre and I already have quite a good bond with him so it’s nice to have someone familiar as well. But having the experience of other coaches as well will be really nice and to have the whole team together.”

Competing up a class

Robinson, who was awarded an MBE for services to swimming in the 2017 New Year’s Honours list, will be swimming up a class on the Gold Coast but ready for the task facing her.

She said: “I’m going to be competing as an S7 and I’m an S6. It will be difficult swimming up a class but, hopefully, all I can do is my best.

“I do not want to put too much pressure on myself as I will be swimming with athletes who are, in theory, less disabled than I am so I’m not going to set any goals or targets. Just to do the best I can.

“I’m still only 16 so for me it still is learning and it still is gaining as much knowledge and experience as a I can. I’m really excited.”

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