Siobhan Paton
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 Siobhan Paton at the 2000 Paralympics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Siobhan Bethany Paton | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality |  Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 28 August 1983 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Swimming | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strokes | Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Telopea Swim Club (Joined: 1998) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Siobhan Bethany Paton, OAM (born 28 August 1983) is an Australian Paralympic swimmer who was born in Sydney. Paton has had an intellectual disability from birth which was a consequence a lack of oxygen.[1] Paton decided to become a swimmer after finding out she has a connective tissue disorder and that swimming would assist in the strengthening of her joints.[1] Siobhan initially began competing with non-disabled athletes and only in 1997 did she compete in a competition for athletes with disabilities, where she won seven gold medals and one silver medal.[1] As of 2004, she holds thirteen world records in her disability class of S14.
Paton represented Australia at the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney, where she won six gold medals, for which she received a Medal of the Order of Australia, and set world records on nine occasions in the process. In recognition of her achievement, the Australian Paralympic Committee named her "Paralympian of the Year", and she was honoured on a postage stamp. She was also awarded an Australian Sports Medal before the 2000 games. In 2013, she was inducted into the ACT Sport Hall of Fame.
Siobhan Paton only competed in one Paralympics in her career where she managed to set many world records; some of which remain unbroken. Siobhan remained composed during the 2000 Paralympics because she had the mentality that it was 'just another meet'.[1] Paton was coached by the grandfather of Jacqueline Freney who now assists in the development of Freney.[2]
Paton won six Paralympic medals during the 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games. She won gold in the 50m freestyle, 200m freestyle, 50m backstroke, 50m butterfly, 100m freestyle and 200m individual medley. Paton was identified as one of the highest individual gold medalist at a single Games.[1]
The 2000 Summer Paralympic Games in Sydney were the final Paralympic Games which Paton was eligible to compete in. Having an intellectual disability meant that Paton was never allowed to better her initial Paralympic achievements after the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) banned all athletes in her class after the Spanish basketball scandal at the 2000 Games.[2]
