Alex Saffy

Started: He began swimming at age five, and joined Bunbury Swimming Club in Australia at age seven. He began taking the sport more seriously at age 13. He competed against non-Para swimmers before switching to Para swimming in 2020. "It wasn't easy as no one knew I had a disability, so it was tough keeping up with able-bodied swimmers. I do think it made me a better swimmer because I had to work so hard." (wa.swimming.org.au, 15 Jun 2024, 10 Dec 2021; Scord South West Facebook page, 02 May 2022; bunburymail.com.au, 07 Dec 2021) Reason: He followed his sister Georgia into the sport. "I didn't really start to focus on swimming until my family moved from South Africa to Bunbury [in Australia]. My parents knew swimming was good for me and was a sport that I managed fairly well. They signed both myself and my sister, Georgia, up with Bunbury Swimming Club pretty much straight away. I only began taking swimming seriously when I was around 13 years old. This was when I quit hockey and increased my training in the pool while targeting swimming more competitively, rather than on just a social level." (wa.swimming.org.au, 15 Jun 2024, 10 Dec 2021) Ambition: To win a gold medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (commonwealthgames.com.au, 27 May 2022) Additional Info: SOUTH AFRICA TO AUSTRALIA He was born in Gqeberha, South Africa. He moved to Australia at age seven. (commonwealthgames.com.au, 27 May 2022; Scord South West Facebook page, 02 May 2022)