Col Pearse

Col Pearse (born 10 July 2003) is an Australian Paralympic swimmer. At the 2020 Summer Paralympics, he won a bronze medal.[1]

Col Pearse
Personal information
NationalityAustralian
Born (2003-07-10) 10 July 2003
Echuca, Victoria
Sport
SportSwimming
ClassificationsS10, SB9, SM10
ClubKew Swimming Club
CoachMatt King
Medal record
Men's Paralympic swimming
Representing  Australia
Paralympic Games
2020 Tokyo 100 m butterfly S10
World Para Swimming Championships
2019 London 100m butterfly S10

Personal

Pearse was born on 10 July 2003 in Echuca, Victoria. At the age of two, his right foot was amputated from below the ankle following a collision with a ride-on lawnmower.[2][3] He still has his heel bone intact so he can walk on his stump, though his right side is about 5 cm shorter than his left so he has a pronounced limp.[3] Pearse grew up in Echuca and, in 2018, he relocated to train with a specialist coach at the H2O Swimming Club.[4] In 2018, he was attending St Michael's Grammar School in Melbourne.[4]

In 2021, Pearse was awarded a Tier 2 Scholarship within the Sport Australia Hall of Fame Scholarship & Mentoring Program.[5]

Career

Besides swimming, Pearse played junior Australian Rules football for the Lockington Cats under-12s, wearing a blue-and-white hooped prosthetic foot inspired by his beloved Geelong Football Club.[3] In late 2016, he was selected as a member of the Australian Paralympic Development Squad. In 2019, he was selected on his first Australian swim team.[6] At the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships, London, he won the bronze medal in the men's 100 m butterfly S10 and sixth in the men's 100 m backstroke S10 and men's 200 m individual medley SM10.[7]

At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, Pearse won the bronze medal in the Men's 100 metre butterfly S10. He finished fourth in the Men's 200 m individual medley SM10 and eight in the Men's 100 m backstroke S10.[8]

References
  1. "Paralympics Australia Names Powerful Para-Swimming Team For Tokyo". Paralympics Australia. 16 June 2021. Archived from the original on 16 June 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  2. "Col Pearse". International Paralympic Committee website. Retrieved 15 September 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. Tuckerman, Raelee (7 June 2014). "Inspiring youngster turns adversity into sporting success". Bendigo Advertiser. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
  4. "'This is my sport' – St Michael's future Paralympian". St Michael Grammar School website. Archived from the original on 12 March 2019. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
  5. "Col Pearse Swimming". Sport Australia Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  6. Johnston, Andrew (26 April 2019). "Col conquers another hurdle". Rivernia Herald. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
  7. "Col Pearse". 2019 World Para Swimming Championships Results. Archived from the original on 27 August 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
  8. "Col Pearse". Tokyo Paralympics Official Results. Archived from the original on 8 October 2021. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
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