Sophie Etheridge: Let me tell you a story

A story about Oona. She’s just 11 years old; she has faced many challenges and unseen fights in life. She uses a wheelchair full time. Words by adaptive athlete Sophie Etheridge.

In 2023 I swam the English Channel. Firstly, to raise awareness of swimmers with disabilities and what they can achieve with the right support. Secondly, to help pay for Special Educational Needs (SEN) swimming teachers.

Not long before my swim a swimmer called Oona reached out to me via social media. I had followed Oona’s swimming journey through social media (she was only 8) and her family wished me luck before my swim. Afterwards, Oona and her mum congratulated me, Oona messaged me saying “you’re my hero” and how proud she was of me. Being honest, hearing that sounded a little odd; made me feel a little uncomfortable, I had no clue how to respond so I just thanked her.

Her mum and I stayed in touch ever since, celebrating Oona’s medal successes at the Scottish Swimming National Championships, trying to work out when Oona and I could meet for a swim together.

In June, that FINALLY happened! Oona is now 11-years-old, we met at Peterborough Lido. There was a little girl, with the biggest smile, pushing her wheelchair as fast as she could towards me. Introducing Oona to one of my favorite swim locations was great, she was amazed by the size of the lido, it was practically empty, we couldn’t wait to get in. Once in the water her face lit up even more and she couldn’t wait to show me her skills! This was to become more than just a swim together, I had arranged for Oona to experience her first open water swimming event!

I needed to make sure that she was a strong and confident swimmer and check she wouldn’t panic in the middle of a lake. I needed to know she was going to be able to roll onto her back to rest, then could keep swimming, she did this at the lido with ease. We were all set!

The next day we were attending the Level Water Shepperton 24 hour relay event. I had contacted Level Water to see if Oona could join the ADOWS Ducks for our relay at Shepperton and they couldn’t have been more helpful, or more excited!

The plan was that Oona could be in the water with me; but after I saw her swim we all decided she could do one full lap with me instead. Oona was thrilled and so excited, and so was I. This is why I do what I do. I try to create opportunities for those with disabilities to get into open water swimming, or at least try it.

I work with Level Water with their Event Access Committee. They provide swimming lessons for kids with disabilities that struggle in mainstream lessons. Most fundraising comes from their open water swimming events; the Event Access Committee was formed to ensure that their open water events are as accessible as the swimming lessons they provide.

Next day was an early start, we arrived in Shepperton. I introduced Oona, everyone instantly loved her; the excitement and joy she has was infectious. I had to figure out how Oona and I were going to enter the water and explain the swim course. Next was the safety briefing, when they explained Oona’s and my story, she was famous! The first swimmers entered the water to lots of cheering and encouragement, there must have been over 300 swimmers there, the atmosphere was buzzing.

Oona and I were swimming third in our team, eventually we headed to the start point. Oona was carried down into the water she was so excited, she swam off and started without me and without her tow float! Off we went to the enormous cheers of the crowd. We took the course one buoy at a time. I swam on the inside to keep her swimming straight. When she needed a break, she did exactly what we had practiced in the lido; rolled onto her back, got her breath back, then set off again. It was windy, making the swim to buoy number two hard work. When we got there I challenged her to swim to the finish without stopping she replied, “ok, let’s go” and was off again. I pointed out the finish line and she swam hard all the way in. Close to shore, I moved back so she finished on her own with everyone cheering and chanting “Oona!” and giving a HUGE cheer as she touched land. I swam in, I told her how proud I was of her, she said, “I can’t believe I just did that”. All I could think in that moment was, this is why I do what I do.

Oona was on top of the world, everyone was talking to her, congratulating her and she wanted to swim again the following day! The weather was awful so Oona and her mum headed to their hotel, but the team kept swimming and thankfully Oona and her mum came back a with pizza for us.

I told Oona that she could join us on the final team swim. We had a short swim to the first buoy and back but Oona wanted to do another lap. Another team member agreed and they swam half a lap then met us for our team finish photos and celebrations. A team of adaptive and disabled swimmers from just 11-years-old up to swimmers in their 60s had completed the Shepperton Level Water 24 hour relay together.

On the journey home, I asked Oona to summarise the last few days, she said, “It’s been the best weekend of my life!”

I am honored to have been a part of it and to have been able to introduce a young swimmer to the joys of open water swimming.