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Paralympic swimmer Toni Shaw can’t help but laugh when she reveals her parents took her to Northfield Swimming Pool as a baby to tire her out.
“I’m not going to lie, I think my parents just wanted me to be quiet because I kept crying so they took me swimming to tire me out,” giggles Toni, 19, from Aberdeen.
Unbeknown to her parents Shona and Martin, their baby daughter’s impressive lung capacity and a deep love of the water was a very early sign of the waves she would create in the future.
Nineteen years on and Toni, who was born without a right hand, has a world record and both Paralympic and Commonwealth bronze medals to her name.
Reflecting on her global swimming success, Toni says she would not have got to where she is today without Learn to Swim, a programme run by Scottish Swimming and Scottish Water to encourage children to learn to swim regardless of their age, abilities or skill level.
“At a young age, I actually went through the Learn to Swim programme and was put into mainstream lessons,” says Toni.
“This has had a profound impact on me as it was a really inclusive environment, and just because I had a disability I wasn’t put into a different lesson or my ability discounted.
“If there is someone with a disability, swim teachers can adapt lessons as required.
“It’s great to develop as a swimmer and be seen beyond my disability.”
6.30am pool sessions
This tumble turn moment had such a positive impact on Toni’s life that by the age of 12 she was competing at local and national competitions.
“The mainstream Learn to Swim lessons helped me so much as I didn’t just learn to swim, it also gave me so much confidence,” says Toni.
“Obviously being in a swimsuit you can’t hide anything so it’s definitely helped to shape me as a person.”
While most people are still tucked up in their beds Toni is already ripping through the water at Aberdeen Sports Village at 6.30 most mornings.
“Typically, my training schedule would see me complete eight sessions a week in the pool and two on land – juggling studying and training has been something I’ve done from a young age,” says Toni, who is studying Business at Aberdeen University.
“The sport doesn’t only build physical skills, but life ones too, and that has really benefited me as I progress my university studies.”
Ellie Simmonds
Toni’s hard work and dedication has paid off as she was soon competing next to her heroes.
“Someone I’ve always looked up to since a young age is Ellie Simmonds and the icing on the cake was being able to compete alongside her at age 14 in domestic championships for the 400m front crawl, which was a real career milestone,” says Toni.
By the age of 14, Toni became the youngest member of Team Scotland to compete at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games where she reached the final of all four of her events.
That was just the start of Toni’s stroke with success as in the same year she bagged six medals at the European Para-Swimming Championships in Dublin.
World record
A year later Toni made a sensational World Championship debut with two gold, two silver and two bronze and made her Paralympic debut at Tokyo 2020, winning bronze in the 400m Freestyle S9.
Reflecting on Tokyo, Toni says it was one of the highlights of her swimming career so far.
“It was kind of crazy to be honest,” says Toni.
“Tokyo is the biggest competition I’ve done and is where every swimmer wants to go, so to get the opportunity to compete there was amazing.”
In 2019, Toni set the world record time for the S9 200m butterfly, and was also part of the team that set a new world record for the 4x100m medley relay at the World Para Swimming Championships in Madeira.
Under pressure
Asked how she copes with the pressure that comes with competing at such an elite level, Toni says her amazing support network always helps her through.
“Like most athletes, before competing it always is a bit nerve-wracking, but I’ve always had a good team around me so it doesn’t feel as bad once I’m in company,” says Toni.
“I always get asked what is your pre-competition ritual and I don’t really have any other than eating a large bowl of pasta the night before.”
Paris 2024
Toni now has her sights set on the Paris Paralympics next year.
“I would love to compete at the Paris 2024 games. I don’t know if it will happen but that’s the goal,” says Toni.
“There will be a qualifying meet next April so we’ll see.”
Together with her relentless training regime and university studies, Toni also puts her energy into her role as ambassador for the Learn to Swim programme.
“Working with young swimmers has always been a passion of mine and being able to showcase that while learning a vital life skill of keeping safe in and around water, you can have fun, make friends and keep fit, is extremely important,” says Toni.
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