Chantel Louise Wolfenden, OAM[1] (born 15 January 1986)[2] is an Australian Paralympic swimmer. Born in the New South Wales town of Lithgow,[2] she started to swim at the age of five as therapy for cerebral palsy. She underwent three operations to cut and lengthen her achilles tendon.[3]

Chantel Wolfenden
Personal information
Full nameChantel Louise Wolfenden
Nationality Australia
Born15 January 1986 (1986-01-15) (age 38)
Lithgow, New South Wales
Medal record
Swimming
Representing  Australia
Paralympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2004 Athens Women's 400 m Freestyle S7
Silver medal – second place 2004 Athens Women's 100 m Freestyle S7
Bronze medal – third place 2004 Athens Women's 100 m Backstroke S7
Bronze medal – third place 2004 Athens Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM7
Bronze medal – third place 2004 Athens Women's 4x100 m Freestyle 34 pts
Bronze medal – third place 2004 Athens Women's 4x100 m Medley 34 pts
IPC Swimming World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2002 Mar Del Plata Women's 400 m Freestyle S7
Silver medal – second place 2002 Mar Del Plata Women's 4x100 m Freestyle Relay 34 pts
Bronze medal – third place 2002 Mar Del Plata Women's 100 m Freestyle S7
Bronze medal – third place 2002 Mar Del Plata Women's 100 m Backstroke S7

She competed at the 2002 IPC Swimming World Championships in Mar Del Plata, Argentina winning a gold medal in the women's 400m Freestyle S7 and two silver medals in the women's 100m Backstroke and women's 100m Freestyle S7 events.

At the 2004 Athens Games, she won a gold medal in the Women's 400 m Freestyle S7 event, for which she received a Medal of the Order of Australia,[1] a silver medal in the Women's 100 m Freestyle S7 event, and four bronze medals in the Women's 100 m Backstroke S7, Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM7, Women's 4 × 100 m Freestyle 34 pts and Women's 4 × 100 m Medley 34 pts events.[4]

She swam for the Fairmead Swim Club in Bundaberg, Queensland and was coached by Paul Simms.[3] Between 2002 and 2006, she was an Australian Institute of Sport paralympic swimming scholarship holder.[5] She was also a Queensland Academy of Sport scholarship holder.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Wolfenden, Chantel Louise, OAM". It's an Honour. Retrieved 2 February 2012.
  2. ^ a b Australian Paralympic Committee (2004). Media guide : 2004 Athens Paralympic Games. Sydney, Australia: Australian Paralympic Committee.
  3. ^ a b "Wolfenden on track for six Paralympic medals". News Mail. 25 September 2004. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
  4. ^ "Athlete Search Results". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
  5. ^ a b "AIS Roll of Honour for the Paralympics". Australian Sports Commission Website. Archived from the original on 23 February 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2012.