SPECIAL SECTION: NUTRITION & WELLBEING
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Rising to the challenge
Cole has always been a fighter. It started early. At age three, she fought her first battle. It was against life-threatening sarcoma cancer and Cole’ s right leg was amputated above the knee as a result. It continued as a teenager, fighting for the right to represent her school and prove to others – and herself – that she was good enough and deserved to be treated equally.
“ I’ m a big fighter because for my whole life, I’ ve been told who I should be in terms of growing up with a disability,” she explains.“ There seems to be this misconception within our society that a person should sit in this box. I hate it.”
An example springs to mind and Cole gestures strongly, throwing up her hands. Frustration creeps into her voice.
“ I wanted to play basketball for my school and my teacher just sidelined me for the whole game because she didn’ t want me to hurt myself,” she explains.“ I didn’ t understand why people were treating me differently because my family never did. I think that was the hardest part about growing up for me.” Between the Paralympic and Olympic swimming squads there was also inequality. It was seen, discussed and decried amongst both sets of athletes. But, for the most part, Cole says the difference in treatment was outwardly accepted, even by the Paralympians themselves.
“ It’ s something I didn’ t talk about until I retired,” she says.“ It’ s really hard, being on a sports team, because it’ s quite insular and you don’ t feel like you can speak out.”
That culture of silence is one of the reasons stepping back from swimming has been such a revelation. Cole says her mental health has never been stronger. Neither has her determination for a more equal world.
“ Now that I’ ve left, I don’ t really give a **** anymore,” she says.“ I grew up in Paralympic sport and I always was overlooked in favour of Olympic athletes, but it was something that I became accustomed to very early. It was very much a message of,‘ Well, this is how it is and this is how it’ s always been.’ It was incredibly frustrating.” >
COSTCO CONNECTION JUL / AUG 2024 | 25