ParalympicsGB swimmer Ellie Robinson finished fifth in the women’s S6 50m butterfly on Monday and then gave an emotional interview with Channel 4. Robinson revealed that Perthes disease in her hip had caused her agony over the last year and meant she could not swim butterfly between November and May.
The double Rio gold medallist, who appears likely to retire after the Tokyo Games, sent a powerful message of determination that is likely to be remembered as one of the moments of these Paralympics. ‘It’s been one of the hardest years of my life,’ Robinson said. ‘I ended on my own terms … I’m so proud of myself. I’ve been in agony this whole year. This is a story of triumph, not a story of defeat’.
‘This is a triumph, not a defeat’: Ellie Robinson sends a powerful message
