Elisabeth Walker-Young

Elisabeth Walker-Young
Personal information
NationalityCanadian
BornToronto, Ontario, Canada
Sport
Country Canada
SportParalympic swimming
Disability classS7
Retired2005
Medal record
Paralympic swimming
Representing  Canada
Paralympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2000 Sydney Women's 100m butterfly S8
Gold medal – first place 2000 Sydney Women's 200m individual medley SM7
Gold medal – first place 2000 Sydney Women's 4x100m medley relay
Silver medal – second place 2004 Athens Women's 4x100m medley relay
Bronze medal – third place 1996 Atlanta Women's 100m backstroke S7
Bronze medal – third place 2004 Athens Women's 50m butterfly S7
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 1994 Malta Women's 50m butterfly S7
Silver medal – second place 1994 Malta Women's 200m individual medley SM7

Elisabeth Walker-Young is a retired Canadian Paralympic swimmer, an assistant chef de mission at the 2012 Summer Paralympics and a former chef de mission for the Canadian team at the 2015 Parapan American Games.[1][2] She received an Order of Canada in 2018 because of her services to the sport within the Paralympic movement at the age of 41.[3][4] In 2014, Walker-Young was inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame.[5]

Walker-Young was born without arms but has some fingers at the end of her arms.[6] Elizabeth and her twin sister Rebekah were born in Saskatoon. They were adopted. She moved to Toronto, Ontario at a young age. They attended Gabrielle Roy and lived in Toronto Community Housing at Queen and Jones. Elizabeth received support from Easter Seals and was their ambassador as a child. Her sister Rebekah is a childhood leukemia survivor. Elizabeth's mom worked as a crossing guard.

References

  1. ^ "Elisabeth Walker-Young named Toronto 2015 Chef de Mission". International Paralympic Committee. 5 May 2014. Archived from the original on 2020-03-20.
  2. ^ "Four-Time Paralympian Elisabeth Walker-Young named Canada's Chef de Mission for the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games". Canadian Sport Institute. 5 May 2014. Archived from the original on 2016-07-22.
  3. ^ "Elisabeth Walker-Young". The Governor General of Canada. 19 January 2020.
  4. ^ ""There's so much more in me to do and to give"". Canadian Paralympic Committee. 9 January 2019. Archived from the original on 2021-07-31.
  5. ^ "Previous Hall of Fame Inductees". The Canadian Foundation for Physically Disabled Persons. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  6. ^ "Paralympic athlete a leading light at Parliament Hill illumination ceremony". Ottawa Citizen. 1 December 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-12-18.