SPECIAL SECTION: NUTRITION & WELLBEING
Making
WAVES
Since retiring from the Australian Paralympic swimming squad in 2022, advocate, athlete and sporting legend Ellie Cole has been making a splash on dry land – and using her new-found freedom to fight for a brighter future.
BY JIYAN DESSENS
If swimming superstar Ellie Cole could sum up her retirement in one word, what would it be?“ Freedom,” she says, emphatically.“ I feel like I’ ve got a lot more freedom to be able to speak truly about my experience.”
Life after swimming wasn’ t something Cole had much thought about. For most of her youth, the focus was upon becoming the best athlete she could be – and it worked. Throughout her 19-year career, Cole amassed a recordbreaking 17 Paralympic medals, four Commonwealth medals, three world titles and nine Pan Pacific golds, making her the most decorated female Paralympian in Australian sporting history.
Now, Cole’ s focus and fighting spirit are shifting to dry land, where she can spread her message of equality and empowerment to a new audience.
“ I like having the platform to promote what it’ s like to be different – and I’ m part of a lot of minority groups,” she laughs, cuddling her five-monthold son, Felix, while counting on her fingers.“ The disability minority group, the LGBTQIA + minority group, even just the female minority group. I’ ve always been the kind of person who wants everybody to have the same opportunities and I’ ve become quite fierce in advocating for that.” >
COSTCO CONNECTION JUL / AUG 2024 | 23