Julia Gaffney

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Julia Gaffney
Personal information
Full nameJulia Kay Gaffney
Born (2000-05-01) May 1, 2000 (age 24)
Russia
Home townMayflower, Arkansas, United States
Height5 ft 3 in (160 cm) (with prosthetics)
Weight100 lb (45 kg)
Sport
Country United States
SportParalympic swimming
DisabilityProximal femoral focal deficiency
Fibular hemimelia
Disability classS7
ClubAquaKids Swim Team, Conway, Arkansas
Coached byTony Marleneanu
Medal record
Paralympic swimming
Representing  United States
Paralympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2020 Tokyo 400 m freestyle S7
Bronze medal – third place 2020 Tokyo 100 m backstroke S7
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2019 London 200m medley SM7
Gold medal – first place 2022 Madeira 100 m backstroke S7
Gold medal – first place 2022 Madeira 200 m medley SM7
Silver medal – second place 2017 Mexico City 50m freestyle S8
Silver medal – second place 2017 Mexico City 400m freestyle S8
Silver medal – second place 2017 Mexico City 100m backstroke S8
Silver medal – second place 2017 Mexico City 100m breaststroke SB6
Silver medal – second place 2017 Mexico City 200m medley SM8
Silver medal – second place 2019 London 50m butterfly S7
Silver medal – second place 2023 Manchester 100m backstroke S7
Silver medal – second place 2023 Manchester 200m medley SM7
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Mexico City 100m freestyle S8
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Manchester 50m butterfly S7

Julia Kay Gaffney (born May 1, 2000) is an American Paralympic swimmer who competes in international level events. She was born with proximal femoral focal deficiency and had her right leg with amputated above the knee and her left leg amputated below the knee due to fibular hemimelia when she was born.[1][2]

Gaffney was brought up in a Russian orphanage before being adopted by an American family from Arkansas when she was five years old.

Sporting career

Gaffney wanted to play softball but due to her disability circumstances she found it too difficult, she was then encouraged to take swimming lessons and started competing in 2014. Her first international debut in competitive swimming was in California at the World Para Swimming World Series, she met her idol Jessica Long and Paralympic swimming coach Queenie Nichols who both inspired and influenced her to continue her swimming efforts.[3]

At the 2017 World Para Swimming Championships in Mexico City, Gaffney won her first medals in the pool: five silver medals. In London, two years later at the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships, Gaffney became a world champion in the women's 200m individual medley SM7 where she was 0.02 seconds ahead of the defending champion Tess Routliffe and Mallory Weggemann.[4]

On April 14, 2022, Gaffney was named to the roster to represent the United States at the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships.[5] On April 29, 2023, Gaffney was named to the roster to represent the United States at the 2023 World Para Swimming Championships.[6]

References

  1. ^ "Julia Gaffney - IPC Athlete Bio". ipc.infostradasports.com. June 29, 2020. Archived from the original on August 31, 2021.
  2. ^ "Julia Gaffney - Team USA". United States Olympic Committee. June 29, 2020. Archived from the original on November 30, 2018.
  3. ^ "Julia Gaffney - Move United". Move United. June 29, 2020.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ "At Just 18, Swimmer Julia Gaffney is Already a Six-Time World Championship Medalist". United States Olympic Committee. August 7, 2018.
  5. ^ Gowdy, Kristen (April 14, 2022). "U.S. Paralympics Swimming Nominates 25 athletes to World Championship Roster". teamusa.org. Archived from the original on May 16, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  6. ^ Overend, Riley (April 29, 2023). "U.S. Paralympics Swimming Selects 22 (Including Just 6 Men) for 2023 Worlds Roster". swimswam.com. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
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