Esther Overton

Overton has arthrogryposis multiplex congenita,^[1][2] a medical condition which "causes muscle weakness and a tendency for bones to break easily".^[4] It also results in joints that are immobile.^[2] Her arm has been broken more than forty times; she has coped with multiple bulging discs and had six surgeries on her knee since 2008.^[2][5] Because of her disability, she has required the use of an electric wheelchair and was in constant pain.^[2] Thence, Overton's legs were amputated, one each in November 2022 and February 2023.^[6]

Overton is a S1 classified swimmer.^[1][5][7] When swimming, she cannot use her arms and uses her head instead of hands on the touchpad.^[2] She competes in the 50 metres backstroke, freestyle.^[2][5] Overton is a member of the Burnside Swimming Club.^[5] She is coached by Shelly Camy, who became her coach eighteen months before the start of the 2012 Summer Paralympics.^[4] Part of her training includes Pilates.^[2]

Overton started swimming as physiotherapy when she was a baby,^[3] and started competing at twelve years old.^[2] She made her national team debut at the 2006 IPC World Championships in Durban,^[1][3] winning a silver medal in the 50 metres butterfly and backstroke events.^[8] She competed at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in two events.^[1][2][5][8] Competing in the 50 metres backstroke event, she finished fifth.^[5] In the 50 metres freestyle, she finished sixth.^[5] Seven weeks before the 2008 Games, she had a collapsed lung and a day before the start of the Games, she broke an arm.^[1]

Overton competed at the 2010 Australian National Championships. Prior to the event, she had applied for an exemption so she could wear a swimsuit that had a zipper. When this was declined, she tried to put on a legal swimsuit and broke her arm in the process but she continued competing with the injury.^[3] She competed at the 2010 Paralympic World Championships.^[3] At the 2011 Para Pacific Championships, she finished third in the 50 metres backstroke event.^[1] In October 2011, she got a new swimming coach.^[5] Going into the 2012 National Championships, she was dealing with three bulging spinal discs^[5] as a result of swimming into a wall three weeks before the event.^[9]

As a twenty-two-year-old,^[4] Overton was selected to represent Australia at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in the 50 metre backstroke S2 and the 50 metre freestyle S3 events.^{[4][5][7][9][10]} She was one of three South Australians representing Australia in swimming at the Paralympics.^[2]

In April 2013 at the age of 23, Overton retired from professional swimming. She was forced to consider her future after a lack of competitor interest in her classification led to the cancellation her event at the 2013 IPC Swimming World Championships.^[11]

She is an inductee of the Swimming South Australia Hall of Fame.^[12]

Overton unretired in December 2023, when she already underwent rehabilitation after her double amputations.^[6]