Ellie Challis Writes Her Own Story in Paris After Racing Pistorius

Ellie shala's journey is one of resilience Triumph and an unyielding Spirit as a child she raced alongside par Olympics icon Oscar Pistorius blissfully unaware that just a few years later the world would be gripped by the tragic downfall of her once hero but Ellie's story didn't end there while the media frenzy swirled around her her family shielded her from the storm now at 20 years old Ellie is writing her own remarkable chapter this time in the po as she sets her sights on paralympic glory in Paris from overcoming life-threatening menitis as a toddler to becoming one of the world's top par of swimmers Ellie's path has been extraordinary and she's just getting started Ellie shalice was thrust into the public ey at just 5 years old when she appeared in a heartwarming daily male feature racing Oscar Pistorius wearing her running blades the quadruple amputee had already become a symbol of courage and her playful victory over Pistorius a race he allowed her to win cemented her status as a rising star in the world of adaptive Sports the photo from that day even became Pistorius Twitter profile picture a testament to how much their interaction had meant to him however just four years later the world watched in horror as pastorious life unraveled after the tragic murder of his girlfriend Reva Steen camp for young Ellie the attention suddenly turned on her how did she feel about the man she once raised now being a convicted murderer yet thanks to her protective parents she was spared from the harsh scrutiny my parents tried to ignore everyone Ellie recalls acknowledging how they shielded her from the media circus that followed but Ellie story transcends that brief moment in time with Pistorius her life has been filled with battles far greater than any media frenzy at just 16 months old Ellie contracted menitis and doctors gave her a mere 5% chance of survival SE to see meia set in and to save her life she underwent amputations losing her legs above the knee and her arms below the elbow it was a heroing ordeal but one that Ellie now recalls with surprising levity I always tell everyone I died for 2 minutes she says with a smile a fun fact she shares despite the gravity of what she endured for 3 weeks she lay in a coma and when she finally returned home her father Paul gave up his job to become her full-time carer at 3 Ellie received her first set of prosthetic legs funded by the kindness of friends and Neighbors from then on she never looked back whether running at school or kicking a football she refused to be defined by her disability inspired by the movie Dolphin Tale in which a prosthetic tailed dolphin named winter learns to swim again Ellie found a deep connection with the water she even traveled to Florida to meet winter a trip that cemented her love for swimming and inspired ired her to take the sport seriously watching the London 2012 par Olympics only fueled her passion further especially when she witnessed Ellie Simmons win four medals in the pool Ellie has been a big inspiration for pretty much every par of swimmer around the world says shalice crediting the legendary swimmer for helping Elevate par Sports on a global stage by the age of 13 Ellie was already breaking records becoming a British champion in the sb250 meter breast stroke two years later she set a new world record in the same event at just 17 she made her Olympic debut in Tokyo winning silver in the S350 M backstroke and nearly missing out on another medal in the 100 meter freestyle finishing fourth it was a remarkable achievement and the experience left her hungry for more Tokyo was a dream come true Ellie says reflecting on both the metal and The Wider experience of being part of such an iconic event nominated for the BBC young sports Personality of the Year alongside the likes of football star Jude Bellingham and skateboarder Sky Brown Ellie was Making Waves far beyond the pool while swimming remains her primary focus Ellie has also ventured into other athletic Pursuits at just 14 she became the first British quadruple amputee to take up snowboarding a sport she fell in love with it's the opposite of swimming she explains snowboarding not only provides her with physical therapy but also gives her a chance to explore a different kind of athletic challenge though she remains committed to her swimming career Ellie hints that snowboarding could become more than just a hobby in the future could she be the first athlete to compete in both the summer and winter Paralympics who knows she teases leaving the door wide open for future possibilities for now however Ellie's focus is squarely on Paris with 10 world championship medals including three Golds already to her name she is determined to add paralympic gold to her resume I've improved massively since Tokyo she insists the lessons learned from her first paralympic experience coupled with the support from her coaches and team have positioned her well for success but for Ellie it's not just about personal accolades she's passionate about inspiring the next generation of amputees to take up swimming particularly in the UK where she is currently the only athlete competing in the lower classifications I want people to realize what swimming can do for you and your body she says hoping her journey will encourage others to join her in the pool Ellie Shala story is one of Hope determination and unwavering courage from being the child who once raised Oscar Pistorius to now standing on the brink of paralympic greatness her journey has been filled with challenges that few could imagine but through it all Ellie has emerged as a beacon of inspiration not just for her fellow athletes but for anyone facing adversity as she prepares for Paris Ellie's Focus remains clear to not only Achieve Personal Glory but to open doors for others proving that there are no limits to what can be accomplished whether in the pool on the slopes or simply by sharing her story Ellie shalice is writing her own remarkable narrative one that will undoubtedly Inspire generations to come