Col Pearse

{{Infobox swimmer

| name = Col Pearse

| image =

| imagesize =

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| fullname =

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| nationality = Australian

| classification = S10, SB9, SM10

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| club = Nunawading Swim Club

| coach = Jol Finck

| collegeteam =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|2003|7|10}}

| birth_place = Echuca, Victoria

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = 183cm

| weight = 80kg

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{AUS}}}}

}}

Col Pearse (born 10 July 2003) is an Australian Paralympic swimmer. At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, he won the bronze medal in the 100 m butterfly S10.{{Cite web|date=16 June 2021|title=Paralympics Australia Names Powerful Para-Swimming Team For Tokyo|url=https://www.paralympic.org.au/2021/06/paralympics-australia-names-powerful-para-swimming-team-for-tokyo/|url-status=live|access-date=20 June 2021|website=Paralympics Australia|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210616114345/https://www.paralympic.org.au/2021/06/paralympics-australia-names-powerful-para-swimming-team-for-tokyo/ |archive-date=16 June 2021 }} At the 2024 Paris Paralympics, he won the silver medal Men's 200 m medley SM10. {{Cite web |date=14 June 2024 |title=Paralympics Australia Names Swimming Team For Paris 2024 Games |url=https://www.paralympic.org.au/2024/06/paralympics-australia-names-swimming-team-for-paris-2024-games/ |access-date=15 June 2024 |website=Paralympics Australia}}

Early life

Pearse was born on 10 July 2003 in Echuca, Victoria, to Teena and Julian Pearse.{{Cite web |date=2022-08-04 |title=Pearse family’s pride after Col’s Games gold medal |url=https://www.riverineherald.com.au/news/pearse-familys-pride-after-cols-games-gold-medal/#:~:text=Parents%20Teena%20and%20Julian,%20alongside,other%20side%20of%20the%20globe. |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=Riverine Herald |language=en-US}} He is the youngest of four children.{{Cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-o48szRvZ5/?igsh=MWQ1ZGUxMzBkMA== |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=www.instagram.com}}

At the age of two, Pearse’s right foot was amputated below the ankle after a collision with a ride-on lawnmower.{{Cite web|url=https://www.paralympic.org/col-pearse|title=Col Pearse|last=|first=|date=|website=International Paralympic Committee website|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=15 September 2019}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/2329300/inspiring-youngster-turns-adversity-into-sporting-success/?cs=80|title=Inspiring youngster turns adversity into sporting success|last=Tuckerman|first=Raelee|date=7 June 2014|work=Bendigo Advertiser|access-date=15 September 2019}} He still has his heel bone intact so he can walk on his stump, though his right side is about 5 cm shorter than his left so he has a pronounced limp.

In 2018, Pearse relocated to Melbourne train with a specialist coach at the {{Proper name|H₂O Swimming Club}}.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stmichaels.vic.edu.au/community/news/sport-st-michaels-future-paralympian/|title='This is my sport' – St Michael's future Paralympian|last=|first=|date=11 May 2018|website=St Michael Grammar School website|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190312055606/https://www.stmichaels.vic.edu.au/community/news/sport-st-michaels-future-paralympian/ |archive-date=12 March 2019 |access-date=15 September 2019}} He attended St Michael's Grammar School in Melbourne.{{Cite web |last=Gates |first=Zacchary |title=his Aussie had a leg amputated when he was four. He's now a world champion with an amazing outlook |url=https://www.nine.com.au/sport/paralympics/games-paris-2024-swimming-tim-hodge-disability-amputated-leg-exclusive-20240127-p5j97f.html |access-date=15 June 2024 |website=Wide World of Sports|date=26 January 2024 }} In 2023, he was studying a bachelor of sports media at Holmesglen in Melbourne.{{Cite web |title=Col Pease Shines a light on Education |url=https://www.swimming.org.au/articles/col-pearse-shines-a-light-on-education-this-national-careers-week |access-date=15 June 2024 |website=Swimming Australia}}

In 2024, Pearse was featured in a Woolworths advertising campaign for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris. The campaign is inspired by the true story of his family and the local community helping Pearse with creating a training pool in a dam on his family farm.{{cite web |date=17 July 2024 |title=Australian Paralympian Col Pearse Stars in Woolworths' Campaign |url=https://www.paralympic.org.au/2024/07/australian-paralympian-col-pearse-stars-in-woolworths-fresh-fuels-the-best-in-all-of-us-campaign/ |website=Paralympics Australia |access-date=13 January 2025}}

Career

Besides swimming, Pearse played junior Australian Rules football for the Lockington Cats under-12s, wearing a blue-and-white hooped prosthetic foot inspired by his beloved Geelong Football Club. In late 2016, he was selected as a member of the Australian Paralympic Development Squad. In 2019, he was selected on his first Australian swim team.{{Cite news|url=https://www.riverineherald.com.au/@sport/2019/04/26/554416/col-conquers-another-hurdle|title=Col conquers another hurdle|last=Johnston|first=Andrew|date=26 April 2019|work=Rivernia Herald|access-date=15 September 2019}} At the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships in London, he won the bronze medal in the men's 100 m butterfly S10 and sixth in the men's 100 m backstroke S10 and men's 200 m individual medley SM10.{{Cite web|url=https://www.paralympic.org/london-2019/schedule-results/info-live-results/swlo19/eng/zb/engzb_swimming-athlete-profile-n41126-pearse-col.htm|title=Col Pearse|last=|first=|date=|website=2019 World Para Swimming Championships Results|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827063454/https://www.paralympic.org/london-2019/schedule-results/info-live-results/swlo19/eng/zb/engzb_swimming-athlete-profile-n41126-pearse-col.htm |archive-date=27 August 2021 |access-date=15 September 2019}}

At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, Pearse won the bronze medal in the men's 100 metre butterfly S10 with a time of 57:66, 3 seconds slower than the gold medal winner Maksym Krypak of Ukraine who set a world record. Pearse competed in the men's 200 m individual medley SM10 and made the final where he finished fourth. He also made the final of the men's 100 m backstroke S10 where he finished eighth.{{Cite web|title=Col Pearse|url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/paralympic-games/en/results/swimming/athlete-profile-n1498344-pearse-col.htm|url-status=live|access-date=8 October 2021|website=Tokyo Paralympics Official Results|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211008045608/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/paralympic-games/en/results/swimming/athlete-profile-n1498344-pearse-col.htm |archive-date=8 October 2021 }}

At the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships in Madeira, Pearse won two silver medals - men's 100 m butterfly S10 and Men’s 200 m individual medley SM10.{{Cite web |title=Grant Patterson |url=https://www.paralympic.org/madeira-2022/schedule-results |access-date=27 June 2022 |website=2022 World Para Swimming Championships}}

At the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Pearse won the gold medal in the men's 100 m butterfly S10.{{Cite web |date=5 May 2022 |title=Cole, Patterson And Levy Amongst Stars Of The Pool Ready To Splash And Dash In Birmingham |url=https://commonwealthgames.com.au/cole-patterson-and-levy-amongst-stars-of-the-pool-ready-to-splash-and-dash-in-birmingham/ |access-date=6 May 2022 |website=Commonwealth Games Australia}} At the 2023 World Para Swimming Championships in Manchester, England, Pearse won two medals - silver in the Men's 200 m medley SM10 and bronze in the Men's 100 m butterfly S10.

At the 2024 Paris Paralympics, he won the silver medal in the Men's 200 m medley SM10 and finished fourth in the Men's 100 butterfly S10.{{Cite web |date=2024-09-07 |title=Aussie amputee's stirring message after medal-winning swim |url=https://www.nine.com.au/sport/paralympics/paris-2024-swimming-australiacol-pearse-silver-medal-results-video-interview-20240908-p5k8qe.html |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=Nine |language=en}} After winning the silver medal, Pearse reflected on his regional upbringing by stating ""I think for every Australian back home living with a disability, coming from the middle of nowhere in Australia, we tend to think they'll never go far in life" and "And I think that swim there, it really shows it doesn't matter where you come from or who you are, if you've got a dream it's achievable."

Recognition

2021 - awarded a Tier 2 Scholarship within the Sport Australia Hall of Fame Scholarship & Mentoring Program.{{Cite web |title=Col Pearse Swimming |url=https://sahof.org.au/award-winner/col-pearse/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023060627/https://sahof.org.au/award-winner/col-pearse/ |archive-date=23 October 2020 |access-date=21 June 2021 |website=Sport Australia Hall of Fame}}
2022 - Victorian Institute of Sport Para Athlete of the Year{{Cite web |title=Montag Shines Bright At The VIS Award Of Excellence |url=https://vis.org.au/news/2022/11/montag-shines-bright-at-the-vis-award-of-excellence- |access-date=2 December 2022 |website=Victorian Institute of Sport}}

References

External links

{{Swimming Australia|col-pearse}} ([https://web.archive.org/web/20220516115930/https://www.swimming.org.au/athletes/col-pearse archive])
{{Paralympics Australia|col-pearse}}
{{Commonwealth Games Australia|col-pearse}}
{{IPC athlete|col-pearse}}
[https://paris2024.rtve.es/es/paris-2024-paralimpicos/atleta/col-pearse_3069006 Col Pearse] at the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympics
{{2022 Commonwealth Games profile|50768}}

Category:2003 births

Category:Living people

Category:Australian male butterfly swimmers

Category:Australian male medley swimmers

Category:S10-classified para swimmers

Category:Male Paralympic swimmers for Australia

Category:Medalists at the World Para Swimming Championships

Category:Paralympic medalists in swimming

Category:Paralympic silver medalists for Australia

Category:Paralympic bronze medalists for Australia

Category:Swimmers at the 2020 Summer Paralympics

Category:Swimmers at the 2024 Summer Paralympics