LEARY INSPIRED BY COMPATRIOT PITT TO GOLD

Paris double gold medallist a whisker from world record, guns for a double in 50m free

- Melvyn Teoh

Australia's Alexa Leary delighting in winning the women's 100m freestyle S9 gold medal with a time of 59.19 seconds in the World Para Swimming Championships at the OCBC Aquatic Centre on Sept 24.

(PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO)

If there is a source of inspiration in para swimmer Alexa Leary’s life, it would be fellow Australian and former ultramarathoner turned motivational speaker Turia Pitt.

Both women have suffered traumatic injuries — Pitt was caught in a bush fire in Western Australia during a race in 2011 and suffered burns to 65 per cent of her body.

Leary, a former triathlete, was involved in a bike accident in 2021 while training in Queensland.

Her front wheel clipped the bike ahead at 70kmh and she landed on her head, resulting in major brain damage, blood clots and several broken bones.

Ahead of the Toyota World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore, it was the words of Pitt which managed to calm Leary’s nerves as she clocked 59.19 seconds to retain the women’s 100m freestyle S9 title at the OCBC Aquatic Centre on Sept 24.

Brazil’s Mariana Ribeiro (1min 01.64sec) was second, ahead of Canadian Mary Jibb (1:02.71).