When Bethany Firth left Rio de Janeiro as ParalympicsGB’s most decorated athlete, it was a far cry from when she was a child with a total dislike of the water.
Now 21, Bethany did not start swimming until she was 13 but she took to it like a natural and joined Ards Swimming Club in Newtonwards, County Down, Northern Ireland.
She made her Paralympic debut in London in 2012, winning gold in the SB14 100m Backstroke.
Firth then went on to Rio and came away with golds in the S14 200m Freestyle, S14 100m Backstroke – in world record times - and the SM14 200m Individual Medley.
There was also a silver medal in the S14 100m Breaststroke as she became the most successful British athlete on the team in any sport.
It has been an enormous turnaround for Bethany, a few short years after she did all she could to avoid the pool.
“Oh, I hated water,” she said. “I did not like going into water and didn’t like putting my face in the water – I was not very good. I like it now though.
“I did not want to be there. I used to pretend that I forgot my kit all the time so I didn’t have to do it.
“I started when I was 13 because my school made me swim – we had to learn how to swim so they were the ones who got me into swimming.
“I then did a competition and I was spotted and I got asked to swim at the club and it started from there. It happened really quickly. I took to it very naturally and I have great people behind me that have worked with me and got me to where I am.”
Rio was memorable for Bethany who was given a hero’s welcome on her return to Belfast City Airport.
- Bethany added“It was just amazing: I loved being over there and being part of the team and I think everyone did well and I was lucky enough to have quite a few events I raced in so it was good just to be part of ParalympicsGB.
“I got lots of great support and everyone was so lovely when I came back and it was just so nice to see.”
There was one downside to being away, though – she had to be parted from her pet dog Russell, an 18th birthday present from her parents Peter and Lindsey.
There was however a solution thanks to the power of technology.
“I got to FaceTime him because my friend was looking after him as my whole family came out to Rio,” she said. “He is a miniature Yorkie and he is gorgeous."
Recently, she has been nominated for Sportswoman of the Year at the Glamour Women of the Year awards alongside the likes of double Olympic athlete Jessica Ennis-Hill, fellow Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds, two-time Olympic boxing champion Nicola Adams and Dame Sarah Storey, Britain’s most successful female Paralympian.
Bethany is honoured to be among such vaulted company, saying: “It is crazy to think I am up along with them – it’s been touching to think that I am nominated with them and they are such amazing people so to just be with them is really nice. It’s really encouraging.”
Next up for Bethany is the British Summer Championships at Ponds Forge, Sheffield, with the IPC World Swimming Championships on the horizon in Mexico at the end of September as well as finishing her sports studies at college.
Beyond that, there are plans for the Paralympic Games in Tokyo in 2020 as she looks to add to her medal haul.
“Definitely,” she says. “I am still quite young in the sport, I’ve still got a few more years and I think working so closely and having such a good time out in Rio, I really want to carry it on and I really think I can do so much more. I love swimming, I love going fast in the water.”
Bethany is a self-confessed family girl who loves to spend time with her parents – with whom she lives in Comber – as well as sister Evie and brothers Danny and Josh.
She also pays tribute to her coach at Ards, Nelson Lindsay, who has guided her to three world and European medals as well as the five she has won over two Paralympics.
All her success, she points out, has come about because of a team effort.
“My coach Nelson he has always worked with me and he is really good because he knows ways to tell me stuff that I’ll know what I am doing and is very good at explaining stuff to me so he has really helped,” she explains.
“The Sport Institute Northern Ireland have always done my gym and physio – any time I am injured or anything they have always really helped me.
“I’ve got my family now – whenever I go to Manchester I have got the British team which have always supported and have made me really happy to be part of their team.”