Joseph Greaves

Sports Award

Age:

21

Biography

Hi

My name is Joe and I am a s14 para swimmer. I swim as a para swimmer as I have autism and learning disabilities. I'm also a multi British Swimming Championships medalist.

I attend Loughborough college where I study Sports Coaching.

I found a love of swimming when I was very young and went to the local swimming pools with my parents. I grew up on the Sussex coast, right by the sea, so it was important I was taught to be safe in the water.

I joined a local swimming club when I was 11. I loved training and felt relaxed and routined in my training sessions. I was encouraged by my head coach Sue to become classified as a para swimmer, and this set us off on a 2 year journey to become classified.

I had to attend meetings, have IQ tests, provide paperwork from birth and school reports. After a year I was granted a UK classification, and the year after an international classification as a S14. In swimming a S14 has an intellectual impairment.

Soon after I was classified I started my swimming journey by being invited to swim at county level, then regional level, the nation level. I am now a multiple medalist at British championships.

My dream is to swim for British Aquatics at a world level. I aim to get invited into a British team by Sept 2025 and go on to swim at the World Champs. My dream is to aim for the Paralympic's 2028 in Los Angeles.