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Biography
Impairment information
Type of Impairment
Limb deficiency
Origin of Impairment
Congenital
Classification
S9, SB9, SM9
Further personal information
Residence
Austin, TX, USA
Occupation
Athlete, Coach, Graphical Design, Student
Languages
English
Higher education
Computing - DeVry University: Austin, TX, USA
Sport specific information
When and where did you begin this sport?
She joined her first swim team at age seven in Muncie, IN, United States of America. She took up Para sport at age 11.
Why this sport?
She was inspired to try the sport after watching a television show about US Para swimmer Jessica Long. However, she did not initially enjoy the sport. "Fifteen minutes into my first practice, I quit. The following season my parents bribed me with pizza to give it another shot. I've been swimming ever since."
Club / Team
Western Hills Athletic Club: Austin, TX, USA
Name of coach
Ian Crocker [personal], USA, from 2018
Training Regime
In addition to her swim training, she also does running, belly dancing and core work with weights. She follows YouTube belly dancing tutorials every morning, and believes the skills it teaches will help improve her hip position when swimming butterfly.
General interest
Nicknames
Lizzi (Twitter profile, 20 Mar 2020)
Most influential person in career
Her parents, her siblings [she is one of eight], and coach Ian Crocker. (myswimpro.com, 31 Mar 2020)
Hero / Idol
Spanish Para swimmer Sarai Gascon Moreno. (teamusa.org, 08 Jun 2017)
Sporting philosophy / motto
"Inclusion to me is like a swim meet. I show up on race day with my meticulously rehearsed race plan, a lane, and a goal. My competitors share the same goal - to be faster than they were yesterday. They don't know, care, or notice that I have a disability. I am my ability. All I need is the opportunity to see how fast I can go." (Instagram profile, 09 Mar 2021)
Ambitions
To compete at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. (myswimpro.com, 31 Mar 2020)
Impairment
She was born without her left forearm due to amniotic band syndrome. (indystar.com, 04 Apr 2019; thestarpress.com, 01 Aug 2013)
Other information
BODY IMAGE POSITIVITY
For years she said she had felt insecure about her limb difference, especially when appearing in photos, but over time she learned to accept it and not be concerned with other people's perceptions of her. "A fear that I've had ever since I can remember is that I make people uncomfortable with my limb difference. Countless times I've hid my body for people. I'm changing the narrative. Your stares and negative reactions make me uncomfortable. I'll work as hard as I can to do my part to make sure no more little kids see their limb difference represented through media as horror." (Instagram profile, 01 Dec 2020)
OTHER ACTIVITIES
She works as a swimming coach at the Western Hills Athletic Club in Austin, TX, United States of America. She also works as a freelance graphic designer, and has created cap designs for a swimming equipment company, as well as logos and web designs for her teammates. After her swimming career, she said she wants to focus on her design career and remain involved with swimming through coaching. (Instagram profile, 09 Mar 2021; myswimpro.com, 31 Mar 2020; Austin American-Statesman YouTube channel, 17 Sep 2019; indystar.com, 04 Apr 2019)
NATIONWIDE TRIP
After competing in the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, she took a six-month trip through the United States of America, visiting 48 states and covering more than 50,000km, and ultimately decided to settle in Austin, Texas, in 2018. "There are a lot of circumstances that just don't go how you planned. I fell in love [with Austin]. What's cool about Austin is you're allowed and encouraged to be yourself, which is probably going to be weird. Sometimes I receive a little backlash where people will be like, 'Why?' The culture in Austin is not to do that. If people see you do something differently, they ask questions. You're encouraged, and when you're encouraged, you thrive." (statesman.com, 18 Sep 2019; indystar.com, 04 Apr 2019)
For years she said she had felt insecure about her limb difference, especially when appearing in photos, but over time she learned to accept it and not be concerned with other people's perceptions of her. "A fear that I've had ever since I can remember is that I make people uncomfortable with my limb difference. Countless times I've hid my body for people. I'm changing the narrative. Your stares and negative reactions make me uncomfortable. I'll work as hard as I can to do my part to make sure no more little kids see their limb difference represented through media as horror." (Instagram profile, 01 Dec 2020)
OTHER ACTIVITIES
She works as a swimming coach at the Western Hills Athletic Club in Austin, TX, United States of America. She also works as a freelance graphic designer, and has created cap designs for a swimming equipment company, as well as logos and web designs for her teammates. After her swimming career, she said she wants to focus on her design career and remain involved with swimming through coaching. (Instagram profile, 09 Mar 2021; myswimpro.com, 31 Mar 2020; Austin American-Statesman YouTube channel, 17 Sep 2019; indystar.com, 04 Apr 2019)
NATIONWIDE TRIP
After competing in the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, she took a six-month trip through the United States of America, visiting 48 states and covering more than 50,000km, and ultimately decided to settle in Austin, Texas, in 2018. "There are a lot of circumstances that just don't go how you planned. I fell in love [with Austin]. What's cool about Austin is you're allowed and encouraged to be yourself, which is probably going to be weird. Sometimes I receive a little backlash where people will be like, 'Why?' The culture in Austin is not to do that. If people see you do something differently, they ask questions. You're encouraged, and when you're encouraged, you thrive." (statesman.com, 18 Sep 2019; indystar.com, 04 Apr 2019)
Results
| Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's 100 m Freestyle S9 | Heat 2 | 2013-08-12 | 11 | |
| Women's 50 m Freestyle S9 | Heat 1 | 2013-08-13 | 10 | |
| Women's 4x100 m Freestyle 34pts | Final 1 | 2013-08-15 | 3 | |
| Women's 100 m Butterfly S9 | Final 1 | 2013-08-17 | 7 | |
| Women's 100 m Butterfly S9 | Heat 1 | 2013-08-17 | 8 | |
| Women's 4x100 m Medley 34pts | Final 1 | 2013-08-18 | 9999 | |
| Women's 100 m Backstroke S9 | Final 1 | 2013-08-18 | 3 | |
| Women's 100 m Backstroke S9 | Heat 2 | 2013-08-18 | 4 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's 100 m Backstroke S9 | Heat 2 | 2015-07-13 | 4 | |
| Women's 100 m Backstroke S9 | Final 1 | 2015-07-13 | 5 | |
| Women's 100 m Freestyle S9 | Heat 1 | 2015-07-14 | 7 | |
| Women's 100 m Freestyle S9 | Final 1 | 2015-07-14 | 7 | |
| Women's 50 m Freestyle S9 | Heat 1 | 2015-07-16 | 12 | |
| Women's 100 m Butterfly S9 | Final 1 | 2015-07-17 | 5 | |
| Women's 100 m Butterfly S9 | Heat 2 | 2015-07-17 | 2 | |
| Women's 4x100 m Medley 34pts | Final 1 | 2015-07-19 | 4 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM9 | Heat 2 | 2016-09-11 | 4 | |
| Women's 50 m Freestyle S9 | Heat 1 | 2016-09-13 | 3 | |
| Women's 100 m Butterfly S9 | Heat 3 | 2016-09-15 | 1 | |
| Women's 100 m Butterfly S9 | Final Round | 2016-09-15 | 4 | |
| Women's 4x100 m Freestyle 34pts | Final Round | 2016-09-15 | 2 | |
| Women's 100 m Backstroke S9 | Heat 3 | 2016-09-16 | 2 | |
| Women's 100 m Backstroke S9 | Final Round | 2016-09-16 | 5 | |
| Women's 4x100 m Medley 34pts | Final Round | 2016-09-16 | 3 |