Nothing will stop Lizzie from winning
For Lizzie Allen it is all about her ability and not her disability. The 15-year-old from Portsmouth is the proud owner of a world record and doesn’t let her Down syndrome stand in her way of success.
Mum Kate said: ‘Last year was an amazing year for Lizzie. She set a new Down Syndrome World Record for the 25m Freestyle and proudly represented Great Britain at the Down Syndrome World Swimming Championships in Nova Scotia, Canada where she won bronze and silver medals.
‘She approaches every activity with a smile on her face and a positive attitude, and she is a fantastic role model for any teenager.’
Lizzie is a member of Portsmouth Down Syndrome Association and has received help every step of her journey from supporting her education to attending communication groups, making new friends and swimming competitively.
She entered her first event five years ago and is now part of the Down Syndrome Swimming Great Britain (DSS-GB) squad and regularly competes at National and International level.
Kate said: ‘Lizzie lives life to the full, making the most of every opportunity given to her.
‘Despite a complex range of gross motor difficulties, including low muscle tone and severe joint hypermobility, she trains five times a week. For Lizzie, it’s all about her ability not her disability.’ In Down Syndrome Awareness Week, Lizzie’s motto about ability and not disability could not be more true for Portsmouth Down Syndrome Association Chair Rachael Ross. She said: ‘It’s almost incomprehensible to us now, that within living memory, children born with Down syndrome were deemed ineducable and consequently were denied that most fundamental of childhood rights; an education. ‘We now understand that children with Down syndrome have the most incredible potential, and with the right specialist support they are being successfully educated alongside their peers in mainstream education and are genuinely valued and productive members of their communities.’