Melissa Carlton

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Melissa Carlton

| image = 34 ACPS Atlanta 1996 Swimming Melissa Carlton.jpg

| imagesize =

| caption = Carlton at the 1996 Atlanta Paralympics

| fullname = Melissa Paula Carlton

| nicknames =

| nationality = {{AUS}}

| club =

| collegeteam =

| birth_date = {{Birth-date and age|8 May 1978}}

| birth_place = Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

| death_date =

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| height =

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| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport |Swimming}}

{{MedalSilver|1998 Christchurch|Women's 4 x 100m Freestyle Open}}

}}

Melissa Paula Carlton, OAM{{cite web|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/887481|title=Miss Melissa Paula Carlton, OAM|publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet|accessdate=14 April 2022}} (born 8 May 1978) is a South African-born Australian swimmer. Born with no right leg and short fingers on her left hand, she won gold, silver and bronze medals for Australia at both the 1996 Atlanta and 2000 Sydney Paralympics.

Personal

Carlton was born in the South African city of Pietermaritzburg on 8 May 1978.{{cite web|url=http://www.melissacarlton.com/bio.html|title=Biography|first=Melissa|last=Carlton|accessdate=16 January 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002121707/http://www.melissacarlton.com/bio.html|archivedate=2 October 2012}}{{cite web|archiveurl=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20001205000000/http://www.paralympic.org.au/athletes/athleteprofile73f9.html|url=http://www.paralympic.org.au/athletes/athleteprofile73f9.html|archivedate=5 December 2000|title=Athlete's Profile|publisher=Australian Paralympic Committee|accessdate=29 February 2012}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} She moved with her family to Australia in 1986; they first settled in the Victorian town of Beechworth, where Carlton competed in local school swimming competitions.{{cite news|title=Tasmanian icon to go out on high note|work=The Australian|date=2 October 2000|page=106|first=Bruce|last=Montgomery}} In 1990 they moved to the Hobart suburb of Glenorchy. Carlton then joined the City of Glenorchy Swimming Club (now known as the Hobart Aquatic Club), where she met Chris Wedd, who would be her coach throughout her Paralympic career.{{cite news|title=Tears of joy from a champ Melissa finds adversity has a silver lining|publisher=The Hobart Mercury|date=23 October 2000|page=40}}

Competitive swimming

File:26 ACPS Atlanta 1996 Swimming Melissa Carlton.jpg

In 1991, Carlton won a gold medal in the 8 km event at the Tasmanian outdoor championships for able-bodied swimmers.{{cite web|url=http://www.sportandrecreation.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/41091/Hall_of_Fame_Honour_Roll_2011.pdf|title=Tasmanian Sporting Hall of Fame: Honour Role 2011|publisher=Sport and Recreation Tasmania|accessdate=18 February 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120904024248/http://www.sportandrecreation.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/41091/Hall_of_Fame_Honour_Roll_2011.pdf|archivedate=4 September 2012}} She won a gold medal at the 1994 Victoria Commonwealth Games in Canada in the 100 m freestyle S9.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/commonwealth-games-swimming-pickering-shows-mettle-1384757.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220512/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/commonwealth-games-swimming-pickering-shows-mettle-1384757.html |archive-date=12 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Pickering shows mettle|work=The Independent|first=Norman|last=Fox|date=21 August 1994|accessdate=16 January 2012}} In 1994, she had an Australian Institute of Sport scholarship in swimming.{{cite book|title=Australian Institute of Sport : celebrating excellence |last=Nihil|first=G.|publisher=Focus Publishing|year=2006|isbn=1-921156-16-3|page=106}}

At the 1996 Atlanta Games, she won two gold medals in the Women's 400 m Freestyle S9 and Women's 4x100 m Freestyle S7–10 events, for which she received a Medal of the Order of Australia, two silver medals in the Women's 100 m Butterfly S9 and Women's 100 m Freestyle S9 events, and a bronze medal in the Women's 100 m Backstroke S9 event.{{cite web |url=https://www.paralympic.org/melissa-carlton |title=Melissa Carlton |website=Paralympic.org |publisher=International Paralympic Committee |access-date=16 January 2012}} At the 2000 Sydney Games, she won two silver medals in the Women's 400 m Freestyle S9 and Women's 100 m Freestyle S9 events and two bronze medals in the Women's 4x100 m Freestyle 34 pts and Women's 4x100 m Medley 34 pts events.

Administration

Carlton has been involved with sports administration, holding several positions in Tasmania including Programs and Marketing Coordinator for the Hobart Aquatic Centre and Executive Officer of the Tasmanian Paralympic Committee.{{cite web|url=https://www.lgfocus.com.au/editions/2009-05/launceston-aquatic-manager-and-paralympic-champion-melissa-carlton-.php|date=May 2009|accessdate=28 September 2011|title=Launceston Aquatic Manager and Paralympic Champion – Melissa Carlton|publisher= Eryl Morgan Publications|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160403184453/https://www.lgfocus.com.au/editions/2009-05/launceston-aquatic-manager-and-paralympic-champion-melissa-carlton-.php|archive-date=3 April 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/AWE2197b.htm|title=Carlton, Melissa|publisher=The Australian Women's Register|accessdate=18 February 2012}} She has been the Manager of Launceston Aquatic since 2008.

Recognition

In 1996, Carlton was named the Tasmanian Institute of Sport female athlete of the year, Tasmanian Sportswoman of the Year, and Hobart City Council Young Citizen of the Year. In 2000, she received an Australian Sports Medal.{{cite web|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/976046|title=Ms Melissa Paula Carlton, OAM: Australian Sports Medal|publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet|accessdate=14 April 2022}} In 2001, she received the Tasmanian Athlete with a Disability of the Year award. She was added to the Tasmanian Sporting Hall of Fame in 2005. In 2009, she was noted as one of 50 Tasmanians of influence by The Examiner.