Karni Liddell (born 1 March 1979) is a Paralympic swimming competitor from Australia.

Karni Liddell
Personal information
Nationality Australia
Born1 March 1979
Rockhampton, Queensland
Medal record
Swimming
Paralympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 1996 Atlanta Women's 50 m Freestyle S6
Bronze medal – third place 2000 Sydney Women's 4x50 m Freestyle 20 pts
IPC Swimming World Championships
Silver medal – second place 1998 Christchurch Women's 4 x 50 m Freestyle Open

Personal

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Liddell was born on 1 March 1979 in Rockhampton, Queensland.[1] [2] She is a radio presenter for 4BC.[3]

At twelve months old, Liddell was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy a rare neuromuscular wasting disease. Karni was misdiagnosed for 40 years and has recently been diagnosed with Congenital Titinopathy which is also a neuromuscular wasting disease.[4] Karni was diagnosed via a whole genome sequencing test performed in Europe in 2019 and Karni and her family had been looking for a diagnosis for the past 12 years and this has been a lengthy, traumatic and expensive process for her family. Her parents were told by doctors that she would never be able to walk and that she would not live past her teens.

Liddell, alongside Branka Pupovac, Hamish MacDonald and Charmaine Dalli, was one of eighteen Australian Paralympians photographed by Emma Hack for a nude calendar.[5] Liddell's photography depicts her wearing sunglasses and a covered in body paint made to look like a polka-dotted bikini.[5] In 2008, she was one of several Queenslanders to have their images painted by Ludmila Clark to have the picture go on display at the Customs House in Rockhampton.[6]

Swimming

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By the age of 14, Liddell had broken a swimming world record.[7] She has competed at two Paralympic Games: 1996 and 2000.[8] She won medals at both Games and was the Australian Swimming Team Captain at the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games.

References

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  1. ^ Australian Paralympic Committee (2008). Media guide : 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games. Sydney, Australia: Australian Paralympic Committee. Information on past Australian Paralympic Games results and profiles on Australian athletes and staff attending the Sydney Paralympic Games.
  2. ^ Xth Paralympic Games Atlanta U.S.A. August 15-25 1996 : Australia : team handbook. Sydney: Australian Paralympic Federation. 1996.
  3. ^ Keegan, Ginny. "Inaugural Marketing and Communications Conference". Queensland, Australia: University of Queensland. Archived from the original on 16 October 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  4. ^ "Community Achievement Award Winner Profile: Karni Liddell (Class of 2001)". Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  5. ^ a b Marks, Kathy (12 August 2000). "Calendar shows the naked truth about disabled athletes". The Independent. London, England. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  6. ^ Mackay, Jacquie (15 August 2008). "Olympians on display". Queensland, Australia: Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 13 March 2014. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  7. ^ "Conference Program" (PDF). The CICA National Newsletter (33). The Crane Industry Council of Australia: 8. May 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  8. ^ "Paralympic Games Athletes from Queensland 1964-2008". Sporting Wheelies. Archived from the original on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2011.