Christie Raleigh-Crossley

Started: She took up competitive swimming at age three, and competed at national level before she acquired her impairment. She discovered that she was eligible for Para swimming after watching the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. (Social Kick YouTube channel, 10 Jan 2023; US Masters Swimming Facebook page, 07 Aug 2022; gofundme.com, 15 May 2022) Reason: "I am the child of swimmers. My dad was an All-American in college so I kind of grew up in the sport. I was at a high level with this, able-bodied, and then everything fell apart. I am no longer that person. But swimming, and aiming for something like the Paralympic Games, are very much motivating me. This brings me so much joy to be back training and competing, even on the days where things are hard." (usparaswimming.org, 17 Aug 2023; Social Kick YouTube channel, 10 Jan 2023) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (teamusa.com, 29 Jul 2023) Awards: While representing Florida State University in non-Para swimming, she was named 2006 Atlantic Coast Conference [ACC] Freshman of the Year. (teamusa.com, 01 Sep 2023; nolefan.org, 2007) Additional Info: OLYMPIC AMBITION She aspired to compete at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, but was injured in a car accident in 2007 and did not make it to Beijing. After a divorce and giving birth to a baby, she then targeted the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, but another injury in 2014 ended her chances of making the 2016 Games. She retained ambitions to compete at the Olympic Games after she acquired her impairment in late 2018. "I thought, 'Okay, I'm going to be that feel-good story of Tokyo [2020], I'm going to have a comeback from brain surgery, and I'm going to make the Tokyo [Olympic] Games'. So, I waited, I think it was six weeks before I could get back to the pool. I got back in the pool and I instantly was like, 'Why is my left arm not working?' So I was just like, okay, Olympics are over." (teamusa.com, 29 Jul 2023; Social Kick YouTube channel, 10 Jan 2023; gofundme.com, 15 May 2022) FURTHER EDUCATION She has studied broadcast journalism at Rowan University in the United States of America. (LinkedIn profile, 01 Dec 2023)

Sporting Relatives: Her sister Lindsey represented Rowan University in swimming in the United States of America. (teamusa.com, 01 Sep 2023; rowanathletics.com, 2012)