Learn more about the para-swimming nominees across the 'Athlete of the Year', 'Emerging Athlete of the Year' and 'Coach of the Year' categories at British Swimming: The Awards 2023.
Para-Swimming Athlete of the Year
2023 Shortlist: Ellie Challis, Stephen Clegg and Maisie Summers-Newton
Ellie Challis
British Swimming Performance Centre Manchester
Ellie Challis was the most successful British athlete at the 2023 Para Swimming World Championships in Manchester – taking a total of three world titles, six medals and four British records overall across a stunning week.
A hat-trick of gold medals across the Women’s SB2 50m Breaststroke, S3 50m Backstroke and S3 200m Freestyle were the outstanding highlights as she cemented her place as one of the sport’s most versatile performers, with further silverware to follow in two silver medals in the S3 50m Freestyle and 100m Freestyle and a bronze in the SM3 150m Individual Medley, to set her up well as she looks for a maiden Paralympic title at next year’s Games in Paris.
Stephen Clegg
Edinburgh University
Stephen Clegg competed in a total of six events at the 2023 Para Swimming World Championships in Manchester – taking medals in half of these as he added to his already impressive tally across his career.
It was the Men’s S12 100m Backstroke where he had the best performance of the week – taking the gold medal in the event to defend his title from last year’s competition in Madeira.
Two silver medals across the S12 100m Freestyle and 100m Butterfly rounded off his trips to the podium for the week, which take his overall number of World Championship medals to eight, while he contributed to fourth-place finishes in both the Mixed 49pts 4x100m Medley and Freestyle Relays, as Britain’s VI relay teams look to build for the future.
Maisie Summers-Newton MBE
Northampton Swimming Club
Maisie Summers-Newton came off the back of winning three medals at the 2022 Para Swimming World Championships to return to the podium the same number of times at the 2023 competition in Manchester – defending two world titles in the process.
The 21-year-old stormed to victory in the Women’s SM6 200m Individual Medley to make it three World Championship golds in a row in that event, whilst also touching first in the final of the SB6 100m Breaststroke. She rounded off her list of accolades from the event with a silver medal in the S6 400m Freestyle as further proof of her consistency on the biggest of stages.
Para-Swimming Emerging Athlete of the Year
2023 Shortlist: Rhys Darbey, William Ellard and Faye Rogers
Rhys Darbey
Nofio Clwyd
Rhys Darbey earned his place on the British team for the 2023 Para Swimming World Championships in Manchester by impressing across his six events at the 2023 British Para-Swimming Meet – achieving a best finish of fifth in the Men’s MC 200m Individual Medley.
It was on the world stage where he made his mark in that event, though, as he stormed to a brilliant silver medal in the Men’s SM14 200m Individual Medley and his maiden senior international podium, as the 16-year-old contributed to a fantastic competition for the British team, a year out from the Paralympic Games in Paris.
William Ellard
St Felix Swimming Club
William Ellard impressed on his debut at a major international championships this summer – taking three medals at the 2023 Para Swimming World Championships in Manchester.
The 17-year-old’s maiden world title came in the Mixed S14 4x100m Freestyle Relay, while there was also a silver in the Mixed S14 4x100m Medley Relay. Individually, William charged to silver in the Men’s S14 200m Freestyle at the end of a thrilling race, having claimed that British title - alongside British gold over half the distance in the 100m Freestyle – in multi-classification racing at March’s British Para-Swimming Meet in Sheffield, earning his place in that World Champs team.
Faye Rogers
University of Aberdeen
Faye Rogers produced a sensational swim at her maiden international meet to take her first international title in the Women’s S10 100m Butterfly final – sealing her place as one of the standout British debutants at the 2023 Para Swimming World Championships in Manchester.
Competing in six events in total across the week, she continued to impress across all events, with the 20-year-old finishing in the top eight in all of her races.
Faye’s butterfly title was not her only trip to the podium, as she also secured bronze medals in both the Women’s SM10 200m Individual Medley and S10 400m Freestyle to round off a memorable week at the Manchester Aquatics Centre.
Para-Swimming Coach of the Year
2023 Shortlist: Aled Davies, Andy Sharp and Mat Trodden
Aled Davies
British Swimming Performance Centre Manchester
On home water, Aled’s Manchester Performance Centre swimmers truly delivered, with the trio of Ellie Challis, Poppy Maskill and Grace Harvey claiming 12 medals between them, including a quartet of golds. Three of the golds and half of that Manchester medal count came courtesy of Ellie Challis, who enjoyed an outstanding week with victories breaststroke, backstroke and freestyle events, while Poppy Maskill has quickly become a big-time performer after she won five medals at her second Worlds.
There was also a silver in the Women’s SB6 100m Breaststroke for Grace Harvey, as Aled’s first season as the Performance Centre coach in Manchester ended with memorable results.
Andy Sharp
Northampton Swimming Club
Andy oversaw another stellar season for Maisie Summers-Newton, as the double Paralympic champion added another two Para Swimming World Championship golds to her name – defending her SM6 200m Individual Medley and SB6 100m Breaststroke world titles – plus a silver for good measure, at a busy event in Manchester.
The Northampton SC coach was part of the British coaching team at the Manchester Aquatics Centre, where another of his athletes, Scarlett Humphrey, was part of her second World Championship team, competing across seven events. Both Scarlett and sister Eliza broke numerous British records throughout the 2023 season as well.
Mat Trodden
Edinburgh University
A duo of Mat Trodden’s Edinburgh University group made marks in Manchester at the Para Swimming World Championships, with Stephen Clegg boosting his ever-growing medal tally with a further three at the event. The Men’s S12 100m Backstroke gold was the highlight of those, with further silvers in the S12 100m Butterfly and 100m Freestyle.
Mat, meanwhile, was in the corner of Scott Quin as the experienced GB breaststroker earned the fourth Worlds medal of his career as part of the Mixed S14 4x100m Medley Relay silver – a decade on from Scott’s World Championship debut in 2013.