Thomas Gallagher (swimmer)
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 Thomas Gallagher with his gold medal on August 29, 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nationality | Australian | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 20 May 1999 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Country | Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Paralympic swimming Surf life saving | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Disability class | S10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Somerset SC (Gold Coast) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Ashley Callus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Thomas "Tom" James Gallagher OAM (born 20 May 1999) is an Australian Paralympic swimmer and surf life saver. He represented Australia at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics,[1] winning a bronze medal and the 2024 Paris Paralympics, winning one gold and two bronze medal[2]
Gallagher was born and grew up in Perth, Western Australia. He has cerebral palsy and suffers from bouts of pancreatitis.[3] In 2019, he moved to the Gold Coast, Queensland, to further his surf life saving career. As of 2021, he is undertaking a Bachelor of Business at Griffith University and he has been awarded a Full Sporting Blue.[4][5]
Swimming career
Gallagher is classified as a S10 swimmer.
At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, Gallagher won the bronze medal in the Men's 400 m freestyle S10 and finished fifth in both Men's 50 m freestyle S10 and Men's 100 m freestyle S10.[6] At the 2021 Australian Multi-Class Swimming Championship, he won the gold medal in the Men's 400m Freestyle Multi-Class in a time of 4:10.17 (997 points), defeating reigning Paralympic champion Brenden Hall.[7]
At the 2023 World Para Swimming Championships, Manchester, England, Gallagher won two medals in sprint freestyle S10 events.
At the 2024 Paris Paralympics, he won the gold medal in the Men's 50 m freestyle S10 and bronze medals in Men's 100 m freestyle S10 and Men's 100 m backstroke S10.[8] At the 2025 World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore, he won two silver medals - Men's 50 m Freestyle S10 Men's and Men's 100 m backstroke S10 and the bronze medal in the Mixed 4 x 100 m Medley Relay 34pts.[9]
In 2024, he is coached by Ashley Callus at Somerset SC on the Gold Coast.[10]
Surf life saving
Gallagher took up surf life saving in Perth, Western Australia and represented the City of Perth. In 2019, he moved to the Gold Coast, Queensland, to train under surf life saving coach Michael King and represents Currumbin Vikings. His achievements include: 1st Open and U19 ironman WA 2018, 1st U19 board relay Aussies 2018, 3rd U19 ironman Aussies 2018, 1st Open Short Course Coolangatta Gold 2018, Dean Mercery Memorial Trophy Winning 2019 and SOS Surf Race Winner 2020.