Ellie Cole has been defying the odds since she was a toddler. Diagnosed with a life-threatening form of cancer at two years old, she needed her right leg amputated. Ellie’s family were worried about the type of life she would lead as someone with a disability.
Like any parent would, they had fears around bullying, accessibility issues, relationships and career aspirations. Her mum and dad were uncertain if she would ever be able live to her full potential.
It’s ironic to think about now, with Cole being not only Australia’s most decorated Paralympian but a leader and a game-changer outside of the pool. A new mum to Felix with long-time partner, Silvia, Ellie lives her life in a way that is infectiously authentic, encouraging everyone around her to pursue a life that is not only fulfilling, but exceptional.
“It may sound strange, but I was fortunate to lose my leg at such a young age,” Cole said when asked if she’d always been determined to defy the odds.” At the age of two, I didn’t know too much about fear, self-doubt or ambition.”
After her surgery, swimming was recommended by Cole’s doctors as a form of rehabilitation. They expected it would take her at least a year to learn how to swim. With the help of her sister, it took just weeks.
“My twin sister, Brittany, was one of my biggest supports when I was in recovery. She taught me how to walk, climb trees and explore again,” the 17-time Paralympic medallist said.
“I went around in circles for a few weeks, but I was swimming alongside Brittany who modelled exactly what I needed to do.
“I learnt from a very young age that being able to adapt to your environment and have a solutions-based approach was the key to being able to achieve the same things as my twin sister,” she continued.
Brittany also went on to become a successful athlete in her own right, most recently becoming the 2024 ISSF Skeet (shooting) Commonwealth Champion. Ellie shared that her drive to succeed partially stemmed from a place of guilt, feeling as though she needed to repay her family for what she perceived as sacrifices made by them.
“Going through a cancer diagnosis and treatment placed a lot of pressure on my family,” Cole shared.
“My parents spent most of their days at the hospital with me and the rest of my siblings stayed at home with my grandmother. I feel in a way, that I robbed my siblings of some of their most precious childhood years.
“Having a second chance at life, I have always wanted to make my family proud and live to my full potential, so that those years weren’t a waste. I always say that I wish I could go back to 1994, when I was going through treatment, and tell my family that everything was going to be okay.”
Cole’s drive to almost, ‘repay,’ her family persisted throughout her sporting career. She faced many injuries and required multiple surgeries like; a double shoulder reconstruction and a broken hip that almost derailed her Tokyo 2020 Paralympic aspirations.
Each injury placed additional self-imposed pressure on a woman who wanted nothing more than to prove that those sacrifices were not in vain, with her family’s love and support fuelling her ambition to succeed against all odds.
“For most of my career, I felt this sense of desperation to perform well,” she said.
“When I was faced with injuries, this desperation to get better and get back into the pool was intensified. I felt as though I was always pushing towards a finish line that was never there.”
In August of 2022, Cole announced her retirement from competitive swimming, with four Paralympic Games, four World Championships and three Commonwealth Games under her belt.
She reflected on the things that made her most proud and knowing Cole, you wouldn’t be surprised to hear that these things have nothing to do with what’s in her trophy cabinet and everything to do with how she’s made the world a better and more equal place.
“When I retired from the sport, almost 17 years after I joined the swim team, I was able to finally sit down and reflect on what I had achieved,” she said.
“The medals were great, but my proudest moments didn’t come from standing on a podium. It was the times when I challenged myself. Like, when I grew up in a world of sport that wasn’t made for people like me. Going through a double shoulder construction, through a broken hip and COVID.
“The biggest achievement and legacy that I was able to leave behind, was securing pay parity for future Para athletes. I wanted to ensure that all Para athletes feel valued and realise that it’s the parts of us that are different, that make all the difference. To be able to leave a legacy like that is far more important than anything I ever did in a swimming pool.”
Cole is also a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community. Although she came out in 2022, she has been in a relationship with her partner, Silvia, for 12 years.
“I had come out to close friends on the swim team (prior to 2022) but didn’t publicly make an announcement until 2022,” Cole explained.
“I just felt that making a public announcement was making a ‘statement’ towards something that shouldn’t need to be a ‘statement’ in the first place, but there is also a culture within sport that deters people from coming out.
“In my 17 years on the swim team, across Paralympic and Olympic teams, I knew of only one other athlete who had publicly come out. Statistically speaking, there must have been many more.”
Cole says she now embraces her platform and is passionate about visibility of marginalised groups.
“Anyone that comes from a marginalised group should be able to see someone like them, who is celebrated for achieving great things,” she said.
“Imagine how much better our mental health would be if we were to embrace all parts of ourselves and share those parts with others without fear of being judged. That’s the best part of being human, to be able to connect with others.”
This also extends to her five-month-old son, Felix.
“I don’t know if I have rose-coloured glasses on, but Felix is the cutest baby on planet Earth,” Cole beamed.
“There is nothing better than waking up in the morning and seeing his smiling face. It’s a huge responsibility to raise a son. I am happy that he will grow up with such an open mind around diversity and inclusion; he has two mums and one of them has a disability!”
Two years ago, Cole put out a touching post on social media, speaking about wanting to measure her success by the “things that mattered.” She also referenced the quote, “broken crayons still colour.”
When asked if she was content with the artwork she’d created so far, her response was a call to action for us all.
“I really am. Sometimes I have taken that crayon and scribbled it halfway off the page and up the wall, but I am really proud of the legacy that I am hoping to leave behind,” she shared.
“Through being a Paralympian, working on television and delivering keynotes, I want to challenge the way that people think, particularly towards what it means to have a disability in Australia.
“Ultimately, I want to make the lives of people with a disability better. That comes through advocating, but also living by example for the 80 per cent of our population that don’t have a disability,” she continued.
“Our Paralympic Team values are ‘Loyal, Proud and Fierce’. It’s a mission statement for me and something I always look to when I need a little bit of guidance.
“I hope that I will be remembered for not being defined by the thing that makes me ‘different’. It’s a part of who I am, but not who I am. Instead, I hope that we can all use these parts of ourselves to be vulnerable, connect and be human in the best way possible. In short, to be ‘Loyal, Proud and Fierce’ of who we are.”