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Alexa Leary
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Alexa Leary OAM (born 18 August 2001) is an Australian Paralympic swimmer. She won two gold medals and a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympics. She has won multiple gold medals at the World Para Swimming Championships.
Key Information
Personal life
[edit]Alexa Leary was born on 18 August 2001. Her parents are Russ and Belinda Leary. She has two sisters, Madison and Ashtyn, and two brothers, Max and Jack.[1] She grew up on the Gold Coast and later Yamba and Noosa, where her triathlon coach was based.[2] She attended Good Shepherd Lutheran College.
On 17 July 2021, Leary suffered life-changing brain injuries as a result of a serious cycling accident in Pomona, Queensland.[3] Whilst riding her bike in training for triathlons, her front wheel clipped the bike ahead at 70 km/h. She landed on her head which resulted in major brain damage, blood clots and several broken bones.[4] She spent 111 days in hospital.[4][3] Whilst in hospital, a fund raising campaign called 'moveforlex' raised over $130,000 for enhanced care at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital Neurosurgery Ward with a focus on equipment and family support.[4]
Triathlon career
[edit]Leary won the silver medal at in the Women's Under 18–19 at World Triathlon Grand Final in Lausanne, Switzerland before her training accident.[5]
Swimming career
[edit]Her triathlon training incorporated swimming. After her training accident, she was classified as an S9 swimmer. At the 2023 World Para Swimming Championships, Manchester, she won a gold medal in the Women's 100 m Freestyle S9 just outside the world record and a silver medal in the Women's 50 m Freestyle S9.[6]
At the 2024 Paris Paralympics, she won gold medals in Women's 100 m freestyle S9 (world record) and Mixed 4 × 100 m medley 34 pts (Paralympic record). She won a silver in the Mixed 4 × 100 m freestyle 34 pts. She finished sixth in the Women's 50 m freestyle S9. After winning the individual gold medal, Leary said "“I’ve just come so far in life. Being told three years ago I wouldn't live ... but I am. I proved the world wrong.”[7]
At the 2025 World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore, she won two gold medals - Women’s 100m Freestyle S9 and Mixed 4 × 100 m Freestyle 34pts and the silver medal in Women’s 100m Freestyle S9.[8]
She is coached by Jon Bell, and used to train at St Hilda's privately with Jon on the Gold Coast, as she requires personal attentive coaching (regularly).
Recognition
[edit]- 2023 - Swimming Australia 2023 Awards - Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Discovery of the Year.[9]
- 2023 - Australian Institute of Sport Performance Awards - Emerging Athlete of the Year[10]
- 2024 - Queensland Sports Awards - Para-athlete of the Year[11]
- 2024 - Australian Paralympic Rookie of the Year[12]
- 2025 - Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to sport as a gold medallist at the Paris Paralympic Games 2024.[13]
References
[edit]- ^ Decent, Tom (21 April 2023). "'They call me a miracle': Alexa cheated death. Now she's on the Australian swim team". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
- ^ "The Road To Recovery – Alexa Leary". Bindi Nutrition. Archived from the original on 19 June 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
- ^ a b Trajkovich, Marina (4 November 2021). "Sunshine Coast triathlete Alexa Leary returns home after life-changing brain injury". 9News. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
- ^ a b c Hall, Peter (4 November 2021). "'This is unbelievable': after 111 days in hospital Lex returns home to continue brave fightback". Sunshine Coast News. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
- ^ "Alexa Leary". World Triathlon. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
- ^ "Results – 2023 World Para Swimming Championships". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
- ^ Decent, Tom (4 September 2024). "'It's a miracle that I'm living': Leary breaks world record, dances on medal dais". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
- ^ "Swimming Australia - GOLD CLASS: Dolphins wrap up World Para Champs with World Record". Swimming Australia. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ "Dolphin Déjà Vu Ahead Of Paris For O'callaghan And Crothers". Swimming Australia. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
- ^ Commission, Australian Sports Commission; jurisdiction=Commonwealth of Australia; corporateName=Australian Sports. "Swimming makes a big splash at AIS Performance Awards". Australian Sports Commission. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ QSport. "Community Legends and Queensland Sporting Stars Celebrated at 2024 Queensland Sport Awards and Hall of Fame Induction". www.qsport.org.au. Archived from the original on 22 January 2025. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ^ Zoe (30 November 2024). "Australia's Finest Celebrated At Paralympian Of The Year Awards | Paralympics Australia". www.paralympic.org.au. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
- ^ "Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division" (PDF). Governor-General of Australia. 26 January 2025. Retrieved 26 January 2025.