Callum Simpson selected to represent Australia at 2024 Paris Paralympic Games

A Sunshine Coast teenage swimming talent has faced adversity his entire life. Now he’s ready to show the world what he can do after being selected in the Australian Paralympic team for the 2024 Paris Games.

Sunshine Coast paralympic swimming star Callum Simpson. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Shortly after Callum Simpson was born his parents knew he would be unique.

The now-rising star was born with complex neurological and genetic disorders but his parents, Nigel and Rebecca, could always see their son had plenty of determination.

Callum had always had swimming lessons as a baby, but when he was just 18 months, he began extra swimming therapy as doctors told his parents it would help his co-ordination and cognitive skills, and help strengthen his body.

Fast forward 15 years, the now 17-year-old Matthew Flinders College student is off to Paris to represent Australia at the Paralympic Games.

“It’s always been his dream to be in the Paralympics,” Callum’s father Nigel said.

“He sat down with his coach Chris Wright about two years ago and they made a commitment to target Paris 2024.

Callum Simpson is off to the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. Picture: Facebook.

“That all meant a massive change to him training wise by increasing his load by quite a bit, doing all the right things out of the pool and still juggling his school work.

“Between him and Chris they’ve put in the work and got the job done which is a reflection of his qualifying efforts so there are a lot of people that are super proud of him.”

Callum trains five days a week which includes eight pool sessions, two gym sessions, and fortnightly work with QAS at USC and physio treatment.

He will compete in the Men’s S8 100m freestyle and the Men’s S8 400m freestyle and is hoping to secure a spot in the 4 x 100m freestyle 34-point mixed relay team, which is yet to be decided.

The S8 classification is for swimmers with a physical disability, mainly affecting co-ordination and limb movement.

“Callum was born with his disability and has had continuous diagnoses over the years,” Nigel said.

“He’s someone who goes out there to try and achieve anything he can to prove people wrong so for him to be where he is now it’s nothing short of incredible.

“What Callum is doing compared to what he ‘should’ be doing on paper is just amazing.”

Callum as a youngster with his array of medals and trophies.

Flinders Phoenix swim coach Chris Wright, who has been coaching Callum since 2021, said it was an enormous credit to Callum’s work ethic.

“He’s come on leaps and bounds quite quickly,” Wright said.

“I’ve always been mindful of him still being a teenager in school and he knew aiming this high with the possibility of the Paralympic Games would be tough but it’s another thing he’s overcome and achieved.

“He’s a very good racer, he just knows how to turn everything into a competition and that’s something we’ve tried to harness.

“To see his growth and the journey we’ve been through is very special and definitely makes you proud.”

“He keeps turning up, even on those days he doesn’t want to be there so he’s a great kid and a good character.”

Flinders Phoenix swimming coach Chris Wright and Callum Simpson.

The grade 11 student said he was eager for the coming months.

“When they announced the team I was pretty stoked, pretty pumped and really relieved,” Callum said.

“It’s a childhood dream come true and being on the team with some of my childhood idols is pretty cool.”

After being in the water for the majority of his early years, Callum began competitive swimming when he was eight-years-old.

“My love for the sport quickly grew from there,” he said.

“I’m definitely excited to see what the pool and the atmosphere is like in Paris.

“I just hope to get in there, do my best, represent my country with pride and hopefully get on the podium as well.”

Superstar siblings Henry and Callum Simpson.

The Simpsons are a sports mad family with Rebecca a former rugby player, Nigel the former captain of the England Rugby 7s team and their eldest son Henry, who will soon represent the Australian youth team at the lifesaving world championships on the Gold Coast.

“It’s a very exciting time for us all but the lifesaving world championships is on at the same time as Callum heads to the Paralympics,” Nigel said.

“Henry is a bit devastated that he can’t watch Callum compete in Paris because he’s been a massive support network for him growing up and has helped him a lot.

“Callum’s always looked up to him and wanted to be like his big brother so they both did surf lifesaving and nippers and swimming together and in a way have been on this journey together.”

Nigel extended his gratitude to Matthew Flinders, Flinders Phoenix, Alexandra Headland Surf Lifesaving Club and the wider Sunshine Coast community for their support.

Originally published as Callum Simpson selected to represent Australia at 2024 Paris Paralympic Games