WATCH: Senior SA Short Course Swimming Championships Live streamed from Friday-Sunday
Para swimmer Izzy Vincent has overcome concussion and countless surgeries to be one to watch at the Senior SA Short Course Swimming Championships. SEE how to catch our exclusive live stream of the event.
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Izzy Vincent has had many surgeries, setbacks and a recent concussion.
But that has not stopped the Norwood Swimming Club member from working hard to potentially earn a spot on Australia’s Paralympic team.
At just 14, Izzy, who has sacral agenesis — the same condition as Paralympian Kurt Fearnley — holds 27 national and 38 state records in her classifications.
She is one of hundreds of para and able-body athletes to watch during the Senior SA Short Course Swimming Championships.
The titles will be live streamed exclusively on advertiser.com.au from Friday.
Making Izzy’s story even more remarkable is she only began training again recently after suffering concussion during a netball game at school, forcing her to have four weeks off.
The Pembroke School Year 9 student, who was born without the lower part of her spine and sacrum, wants to use the state championships as an early hitout ahead of the 2021 Paralympic trails.
“I got hit with the ball and didn’t realise it was that bad but later in the day my eyes felt all weird,” Izzy said.
“But now I’m all good and I feel back to normal, ready to go again.
“I am going to the trials for Tokyo but I’m not quite sure if I’ll make it, I’ll see how it goes, but it will be a great experience to trial.
“In 2024, though, I definitely want to go to the Paralympics in Paris.”
Izzy has only been swimming competitively for the past two and a half years after it was suggested she try the sport following a foot operation.
She joined Norwood’s ENable program and has not looked back since.
Izzy will compete in a swag of multi-class events at the state championships including the 400m, 200m, 100m and 50m freestyle as well as the 100m and 50m backstroke.
She will also swim in the 100m and 50m breaststroke as well as the 50m butterfly, 200m and 100m individual medley.
Izzy has not raced competitively since the World Para Series in Melbourne back in February due to the COVID-19 break and she is keen to get back into it.
“I’ve been doing pretty good times at training and it’s been a really long time since my last competition,” Izzy said.
“I hope that I do well and I’m really excited.
“It’s really cool that (the event) is being live streamed.”
This year marks the first time SA’s junior and senior short course titles will be split over two weekends due to coronavirus regulations.
The junior event was hosted last weekend and you can watch the replay of the live stream here.
Fellow Norwood member Emily White, who was the only SA swimmer named on the Australian team for last year’s junior world swimming championships, will also compete at the SA Senior Short Course Swimming Championships.
The titles are being hosted at the SA Leisure and Aquatic Centre from Friday through to Sunday.