Ben Popham

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Ben Popham
Popham Ben 01 CC.jpg
Ben Popham in 2019
Personal information
NationalityAustralian
Born (2000-09-04) 4 September 2000 (age 21)
Sport
CountryAustralia
SportParalympic swimming
Disability classS8 SB7, SM8
ClubArena Swim Club
Coached bySimon Redmond
Medal record
Representing  Australia
Men's Swimming
Paralympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2020 Toyko 100m freestyle S8
Gold medal – first place 2020 Tokyo 4×100 m freestyle 34 pts
Silver medal – second place 2020 Tokyo 4×100 m medley 34 pts
World Para Swimming Championships
Silver medal – second place 2019 London 100m freestyle S8
Bronze medal – third place 2019 London 50m freestyle S8
Bronze medal – third place 2019 London 4x100m freestyle 34 points

Ben Popham (born 4 September 2000) is an Australian Paralympic swimmer. He represented Australia at the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships, winning a silver and two bronze medals, and the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, where he won two gold medals and a silver.

Personal[]

Popham was born on 4 September 2000. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as an infant.[1] In 2011 he was chosen to be one of the Channel Seven Perth Telethon's "Little Telethon Stars".[2] In 2019, he commenced a Bachelor of Commerce at Curtin University.[1]

Swimming career[]

Popham commenced swimming as a seven year old as part of his physical therapy program for cerebral palsy.[1] Popham made his international debut when he represented Australia at the 2018 Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships in Cairns and won the Men’s 100m Freestyle S8 and was a member of the Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay (34 points) team.[3]

At the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships in London, Popham won a silver medal in the Men's 100m Freestyle S8 and bronze medals in the Men's 50m Freestyle S8 and Men's 4 x 100m Freestyle 34 points.[4]

At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, Popham won gold medals in the Men's 100m freestyle S8 and Men's 4×100 m freestyle 34 pts, and a silver medal in the Men's 4x100m Medley 34 pts.[5][6]

Recognition[]

  • 2018 – ‘AIS Discovery of the Year’ at Swimming Australia Awards.[1]
  • 2019 – Curtin University Sportsman of the Year [7]
  • 2019 – Western Australian Swimming Multi-Class Swimmer of the Year[8]
  • 2021 –Western Australian Swimming Awards - Sir Frank Beaurepaire Memorial Trophy, Elizabeth Edmondson Medallist and Hancock Prospecting Patron’s Trophy for Male Swimming

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d Rifici, Victoria (17 January 2019). "Ben Popham (18) finalist for WA Sports Star award after 2018 international swimming feat". Western Suburbs Weekly. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  2. ^ Smith, Ben (25 August 2021). "Tokyo Paralympics: Former Telethon Kid, WA's Ben Popham, qualifies fastest for 100m freestyle S8 final". PerthNow. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  3. ^ "Ben Popham". Swimming Australia website. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  4. ^ "Ben Popham results". 2019 World Para Swimming Championships results. 9 September 2019. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  5. ^ "Paralympics Australia Names Powerful Para-Swimming Team For Tokyo". Paralympics Australia. 16 June 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  6. ^ "Ben Popham Results". Tokyo Paralympics Official Results. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  7. ^ "Ben Popham and Zoe Arancini win Curtin University Sports Awards". Western Australian Institute of Sport. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  8. ^ "Holly Barratt Named Western Aaustralia's Swimmer of the year". SwimSwam. 24 May 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2021.

External links[]

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