Nyree Lewis
Encyclopedia
Nyree Elise Lewis MBE
(born 21 September 1980 in Rhondda
, Wales
) is a Welsh
swimmer
who has competed in the Paralympic Games
on three occasions winning nine medals.
by her aunt. Lewis has a form of cerebral palsy
and therefore competes in the S6 (butterfly
, backstroke
, freestyle
), SM6 (medley
)and SB5 (breaststroke
) classifications.
in Sydney
, where she won 3 medals
, 2 silver and a bronze.
At the 2004 Summer Paralympics
Lewis won her first Paralympic gold medal in the S6 100 metres backstroke event
, in a new Paralympic record time of 1:32.03. She followed this up with another gold in the 4×50 m medley 20 pts relay, silver medals in both the 100 m breaststroke SB5 and 200 m SM6 individual medley, and a bronze in the 400 m freestyle S6.
In the 100 metres S6 backstroke
at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing
Lewis was, surprisingly, beaten into second place by Dutch swimmer Mirjam de Koning-Peper. Lewis explained her defeat by saying ""My legs were spasming, but to be honest, there are no excuses for that, ... I should have gone quicker but it just wasn't there tonight". In addition to this medal winning performance Lewis also reached the finals of the 100 m breaststroke SB5 (finishing 4th), 200 m SM6 individual medley (finishing 6th) and 400 m freestyle S6 (finishing 6th).
On top of her success at the Paralympics, Lewis has won 7 IPC
World Championship medals and 7 European Championship medals.
Lewis was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2009 Birthday Honours.
. Together the pair are known as the "golden couple" of British disability swimming.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 21 September 1980 in Rhondda
Rhondda
Rhondda , or the Rhondda Valley , is a former coal mining valley in Wales, formerly a local government district, consisting of 16 communities built around the River Rhondda. The valley is made up of two valleys, the larger Rhondda Fawr valley and the smaller Rhondda Fach valley...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
) is a Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
swimmer
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
who has competed in the Paralympic Games
Paralympic Games
The Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event where athletes with a physical disability compete; this includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and Cerebral Palsy. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which are held immediately following their...
on three occasions winning nine medals.
Early life
Lewis took up swimming at the age of 5, having been taken to a swimming poolSwimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
by her aunt. Lewis has a form of cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive, non-contagious motor conditions that cause physical disability in human development, chiefly in the various areas of body movement....
and therefore competes in the S6 (butterfly
Butterfly stroke
The butterfly is a swimming stroke swum on the breast, with both arms moving simultaneously. The butterfly kick was developed separately, and is also known as the "dolphin kick"...
, backstroke
Backstroke
The backstroke, also sometimes called the back crawl, is one of the four swimming styles regulated by FINA, and the only regulated style swum on the back. This has the advantage of easy breathing, but the disadvantage of swimmers not being able to see where they are going. It is also the only...
, freestyle
Freestyle swimming
Freestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...
), SM6 (medley
Medley swimming
Medley is a combination of four different swimming styles into one race. This race is either swum by one swimmer as individual medley or by four swimmers as a medley relay...
)and SB5 (breaststroke
Breaststroke
The breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on his or her chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep the head out of the water a large portion of the time. In most swimming classes, beginners learn...
) classifications.
Paralympic career
Lewis's first appearance at a Paralympics came at the 2000 Games2000 Summer Paralympics
The 2000 Paralympic Games were held in Sydney, Australia, from 18 October to 29 October. The eleventh Summer Paralympic Games, an estimated 3800 athletes took part in the Sydney programme. They commenced with the opening ceremony on 18 October 2000...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, where she won 3 medals
Swimming at the 2000 Summer Paralympics
Swimming at the 2000 Summer Paralympics comprised a total of 169 events, 91 for men and 78 for women. Swimmers were classified according to the extent and type of their disability.- Men's events :- Women's events :...
, 2 silver and a bronze.
At the 2004 Summer Paralympics
2004 Summer Paralympics
The 2004 Summer Paralympics were held in Athens, Greece, from September 17 to September 28. The twelfth Paralympic Games, an estimated 4,000 athletes took part in the Athens programme, with ages ranging from 11 to 66. Paralympic events had already taken place during the 2004 Summer Olympics as...
Lewis won her first Paralympic gold medal in the S6 100 metres backstroke event
Swimming at the 2004 Summer Paralympics
Swimming at the 2004 Summer Paralympics, in the Olympic Aquatic Centre was competed in freestyle, backstroke and butterfly , the breaststroke and individual medley ....
, in a new Paralympic record time of 1:32.03. She followed this up with another gold in the 4×50 m medley 20 pts relay, silver medals in both the 100 m breaststroke SB5 and 200 m SM6 individual medley, and a bronze in the 400 m freestyle S6.
In the 100 metres S6 backstroke
Swimming at the 2008 Summer Paralympics
The swimming events of the 2008 Summer Paralympics were held in the Beijing National Aquatics Center between September 7 and September 15, 2008. A total of 140 gold medals were expected to be distributed.-Classifications:...
at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
Lewis was, surprisingly, beaten into second place by Dutch swimmer Mirjam de Koning-Peper. Lewis explained her defeat by saying ""My legs were spasming, but to be honest, there are no excuses for that, ... I should have gone quicker but it just wasn't there tonight". In addition to this medal winning performance Lewis also reached the finals of the 100 m breaststroke SB5 (finishing 4th), 200 m SM6 individual medley (finishing 6th) and 400 m freestyle S6 (finishing 6th).
On top of her success at the Paralympics, Lewis has won 7 IPC
International Paralympic Committee
The International Paralympic Committee is an international non-profit organisation and the global governing body for the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organizes the Paralympic Games and functions as the international federation for nine sports...
World Championship medals and 7 European Championship medals.
Lewis was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2009 Birthday Honours.
Personal life
Lewis's boyfriend is fellow British Paralympic gold medal winning swimmer Sascha KindredSascha Kindred
Sascha Kindred OBE is a British swimmer who competed in the Paralympic Games on four occasions, winning eleven medals.-Early life:...
. Together the pair are known as the "golden couple" of British disability swimming.
See also
- List of Paralympic records in swimming
- Great Britain at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsGreat Britain at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsGreat Britain competed at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, People's Republic of China. Great Britain sent a delegation of around 400, of which 212 were athletes, to compete in eighteen sports at the Games...
- Swimming at the 2000 Summer ParalympicsSwimming at the 2000 Summer ParalympicsSwimming at the 2000 Summer Paralympics comprised a total of 169 events, 91 for men and 78 for women. Swimmers were classified according to the extent and type of their disability.- Men's events :- Women's events :...
- Swimming at the 2004 Summer ParalympicsSwimming at the 2004 Summer ParalympicsSwimming at the 2004 Summer Paralympics, in the Olympic Aquatic Centre was competed in freestyle, backstroke and butterfly , the breaststroke and individual medley ....
- Swimming at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsSwimming at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsThe swimming events of the 2008 Summer Paralympics were held in the Beijing National Aquatics Center between September 7 and September 15, 2008. A total of 140 gold medals were expected to be distributed.-Classifications:...
External links
- 'The Golden Couple' - A blog written by Sascha Kindred's brother detailing the progress of him and Lewis
- British Swimming athlete profile