Tracy Barrell
Book Tracy Barrell for speaking engagements & events.
Tracy Barrell is hilarious, inspiring and informative. She entertains her audiences by providing a frank and extraordinary account of her life journey ‘1 arm, 1 skateboard, 1 me’. Touching on heartfelt challenges and inspiring triumphs, Tracy will take you on a discovery about disability awareness, overcoming social stigmas, achieving a can-do attitude, and her greatest challenge of all: motherhood. Hear the unique story of an amazing woman – from beginnings where ‘no you can’t’ seemed the given, to a life of ‘yes I can’!
“I was born without legs or an arm, I live a very fulfilled life. I see myself as a person living with a difference, its people’s perceptions or facilities that put the Dis in My Abilities. Im a dual Gold medallist, Order of Australia Medal holder and a mother of two wonderful boys!
I love to share my life story along with my trials and tribulations to Audiences. I also use my life knowledge to educate students, businesses, communitiy groups about people living with a difference and close the gap between the two. I also draw from my personal use of facilities and dealings in the wider community to liase and brainstorm with the like to make a better understanding of the practical side of using the facilities and coming into contact with workers in everyday life.”
Started disabled sports in 1989; her first event was the N.S.W State Games held at Narrabeen Sports Centre.
• Gold 50m Freestyle • Gold 100m Freestyle
• Gold 50 Breaststroke • Gold 50m Backstroke
• Gold Discuss • Gold Javelin
And received the athlete of the meet trophy.
After that she joined a swimming club and had professional coaching, winning more golds and trophies.
All this lead to the Barcelona Paralympics in 1992 where she won:
• Gold 4x50m Women’s Freestyle Relay
• Gold 50m Butterfly beating the world and Paralympic record by 13 seconds.
• 4th in the finals 50m Freestyle
• 4th in the finals 50m Breaststroke
• 4th in the finals 50m Backstroke
After doing so well at these games, Tracy received many awards.
• Advanced Australia Foundation
• Australia day youth citizen for Sutherland shire
• MLC Foundation, and many more.
Tracy’s most prestigious award was the Order of Australia Medal. She received this in 1993, for her outstanding contribution to sport.
Her last swimming competition was the World Championships in Malta 1994, the result was
• Bronze 50m Butterfly
Tracy retired after these games due to injury and surgery to her only arm.