It was a pleasure to welcome back ex-DESS student Claire Cashmore, MBE, Paralympian and Author in November 2021.

Our children had the opportunity to meet Claire, ask her questions, swim with her and hear her inspirational story. As well as listen to her new book, 'Splash', based on her love of swimming which began here at DESS.

A seasoned gold medal winning Paralympian, competing as a swimmer in the last 4 Paralympic games, Claire entered the world stage at 16 years old. Qualifying for the Athens Paralympics in 2004 and Claire went on to achieve:

• Athens 2004 - 2 Bronze medals
• Beijing 2008 – 1 Bronze medal
• London 2012 – 2 Silver medals, 1 Bronze medal
• Rio 2016 – 1 Gold medal, 1 Silver medal
• 3 IPC World Championship Gold medals
• 6 IPC European Championship Gold medals

Claire was chosen to be one of the faces of UK Channel 4’s hugely successful ‘Meet the Superhumans’ campaign, and as such was featured on billboards and adverts nationwide.

In January 2017, she was selected as part of a talent transfer programme to transition to the sport of Triathlon and has had a very successful first year, including:

• 1st in a World Cup event (Spain)
• 2nd World Series Race (Iseo)
• 1st at British Championships
• 4th in the World Series race (Edmonton)
• 6th at World Championships (Claire was hit from behind by a male athlete while leading on the bike leg, but continued to finish after a delay due to a bike change, despite being injured).

Claire continued to build on this success and has come home with a medal at every international over the last two years.

2018

• 2nd World Championships
• 1st British Championships
• 2nd World Series - Iseo
• 2nd World Cup - Eton Dorney
• 2nd Europeans - Tartu

2019

• World Champion - Lausanne
• 1st World Series Montreal
• 1st British Championships - Eton Dorney
• 2nd European Championships - Valencia
• 2nd Tokyo Test event

2021

• Paralympics Bronze
• European Gold
• World Para Champion Gold

What an amazing day and one that we will never forget!