Iona Winnifrith looking to emulate her idols in Paris at just 13-years-old

Iona Winnifrith is hoping to emulate her idol Ellie Simmonds by winning a Paralympic medal at just 13-years-old in Paris.

The youngest member of the entire Paralympics GB team – Winnifrith is the exact same age as Simmonds was when she took a double gold in Beijing and admitted that watching Simmonds and current stars like Maisie Summers-Newton inspired her to take up the competitive side of the sport.

She said: “Well I remember the Rio Olympics, but not really the Paralympics Games so it was really Tokyo when I first saw all the Paralympians.

“People like Maisie, and I’ve always looked up to Ellie Simmons with her being 13 as well when she was went to her first games.

“She’s also got a similar disability to me, so her and Maisie are people I particularly look up to.

“It was just last year when I realised that I had a chance to make it to Paris. A medal would be incredible and potentially gold.”

‘Become like sisters’

Tonbridge-born Winnifrith first took to the pool at the age of five when she was invited to join her local clubs learn to swim programme.

She was the youngest swimmer at Tonbridge Swimming Club but was always in and around the pool from an even earlier age as she watched her three older brothers learn to swim.

“I’ve got three other brothers and they were always in the pool. I was watching them when I was younger.

“I got into the pool myself when I was about five and I just started swimming and found a love for it. They were very proud when I got selected and they’re all really excited for Paris.”

Despite her young years, Winnifrith is far from making up the numbers when the 27-strong Paralympics GB swimming squad take to the La Defense Arena.

The teenager was selected after a sensational 2024 which saw the Swim England talent pathway athlete become a double European champion on her international debut earlier this year.

Before that, she took the multi-classification 100m Breaststroke British title at the Aquatics GB Swimming Championships in London and is a current European record holder in the SM7 200m Individual Medley.

That event is one of three that she’ll be taking on in Paris where she’ll also swim the 100m breaststroke (SM7) and the 50m butterfly (S7) all of which she medalled at during the European Championships.

She’s already close with a number of members of the British team, particularly Summers-Newton and Ellie Challis who she says have become like sisters to her ahead of the Games.

“Ellie Challis and Maisie (Summers-Newton), have been really helpful because they’ve been to Tokyo and they’re just really kind. They’ve become like sisters or friends to me when we’re away.

“I’ve been given advice to help with my nerves and to help with my confidence and most of the experience members of the team have particularly been really helpful.

“It’s just been a really nice environment to be in around everyone.

“I’m really excited for Paris.”

You can watch Iona and the rest of the team in action in the pool from Thursday 29 August to Saturday 7 September.