Olivia Chambers to compete again Wednesday afternoon
Rising University of Northern Iowa senior Olivia Chambers is named Sunday, June 30, 2024, during a ceremony in Minneapolis to the U.S. swim team for the Paralympic Games in Paris. (Photo courtesy of UNI Athletics)
The firsts are rolling in for University of Northern Iowa senior Olivia Chambers — who in August became the first UNI swimmer in school history named to a U.S. Paralympic team and on Saturday became the first UNI Paralympic medalist, earning her first Paralympic gold with a 4:29 time in the women’s S13 400-meter freestyle.
“She is a rookie at the Paralympic Games, but don’t tell Olivia Chambers that,” an NBC commentator said before praising her “race of a lifetime.”
“She is golden in Paris,” the commentator said as Chambers pounded the water after reaching out her arm to touch the pool wall two seconds ahead of her second-place competitor from Italy, Carlotta Gilli.
On Tuesday, Chambers, 21, captured a silver medal in the women’s SM13 200-meter individual medley — this time falling just a half second behind Gilli, althought achieving a new career best of 2:25.90.
Chambers — who is visually impaired, with a diagnosis of multiple mitochondrial gene deletion syndrome and nystagmus — only started competing in para swimming two years ago, after joining the UNI swim team in 2021.
Once her coaches approached her about para swimming and she decided to dive in, so to speak, Chambers quickly ascended to the top of the sport — shattering a 10-year-old American record in the 400-meter individual medley and three months later competing in her first international event in Mexico.
At the 2022 U.S. Paralympics Swimming Championships, Chambers won three medals, including two golds in the 400 freestyle and 200 individual medley that she just competed in at the Paralympics in Paris.
Chambers is returning to the pool this afternoon — competing in the mixed 4×100-meter freestyle relay for Team USA. The direct final is scheduled for 12:58 p.m. central time, with live coverage available on Peacock and USA Network.
Chambers practices October 18, 2023, with the UNI women’s swim team at the Wellness/Recreation Center. (Chris Zoeller/Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier)
Vanessa Miller covers higher education for The Gazette.
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Publish date : 2024-09-04 02:40:00
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