Ahmed Kelly
 2012 Australian Paralympic Team portrait of Kelly | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Ahmed Kelly |
| Nickname(s) | Liquid Nails |
| Nationality |
 Australia |
| Born |
18 November 1991 Baghdad, Iraq |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Swimming |
| Strokes | Breaststroke |
| Classifications | S4, SB3, SM4 |
| Club | Melbourne Vicentre |
| Coach | Brad Harris |
Ahmed Kelly (born 18 November 1991) is an Iraqi born Australian swimmer. He was selected to represent Australia at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in swimming's 50 metre breaststroke. He did not medal at the 2012 Games.
Personal
Nicknamed Liquid Nails, Kelly was born on 18 November 1991 in Baghdad, Iraq with a double arm and leg deficiency.[1][2] Until the age of seven, he lived in at Baghdad's Mother Teresa Orphanage with his brother, Emmanuel who has a similar disability.[1][2][3] Moira Kelly on her own with her parents help met the brothers in 1998 and brought them to Victoria, Australia in 2000 to get medical care for their disability. Kelly's treatment involved having parts of his legs removed that were deficient, and then being fitted with prosthesis.[1] Moira adopted the brothers in 2000.[3] In 2009, he became an Australian citizen.[3] He attended Carey Baptist Grammar School in Kew, Melbourne.[4] He was featured on the ABC's "Race to London".[4] In 2013 he commenced university studying Batchelor of Arts at La Trobe University in Melbourne and dreams of working in the media as a sports commentator in the future. Ahmed is training for the para Olympic Games in Rio 2015
His brother has appeared on Australia's X-Factor.[5] He has Bangladeshi-born twin sisters who were conjoined at birth. They attend his swimming meets to cheer for Kelly.[1][3][5]
Kelly played Australian rules football for a team in Kilmore, Victoria. When playing, he did not wear prosthetic arms.[1][2][3] He played Australian Rules for his school's Year 7/8 team.[2]
Swimming
Kelly is an S4, SB3 (breaststroke), SM4 (individual medley) classified swimmer who has been based at the Melbourne Vicentre Swimming Club and coached by Brad Harris since 2009.[1] As of 2012, he has a scholarship with the Victorian Institute of Sport.[6] He started swimming in 2008, after making a switch from Australian rules football.[1]
Kelly first represented Australia in 2009 at the Darwin, Northern Territory hosted Oceania Paralympic Championships.[1] In 2009, he competed in the Arafura Games.[2] He competed in the 2010 Australian National Championships, finishing first in the 100 metre breaststroke event in world record time. He repeated this feat in 2011 where he again set a world record.[1] He was selected to represent Australia at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in swimming[7][8] in the 50 metre breaststroke.[5] He did not medal at the 2012 Games.[1]
Personal bests
| Course | Event | Time | Meet | Swim Date | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long | 50m Backstroke | 57.55 | 2011 Telstra Australian Swimming | 1-Apr-11 | [9] |
| Long | 100m Backstroke | 02:06.4 | 2012 Victorian Championships | 14-Jan-12 | [9] |
| Long | 50m Breaststroke | 51.86 | 2012 London Paralympics | 3-Sept-12 | [10] |
| Long | 100m Breaststroke | 01:50.6 | 2011 Telstra Australian Swimming | 1-Apr-11 | [9] |
| Long | 50m Freestyle | 55.71 | 2011 Victorian Qualifying Meet | 26-Nov-11 | [9] |
| Long | 150m Medley | 03:05.1 | 2012 EnergyAustralia Swimming Championships | 19-Mar-12 | [9] |
| Short | 50m Backstroke | 56.56 | 2011 Australian Short Course Championships | 3-Jul-11 | [9] |
| Short | 50m Breaststroke | 51.54 | 2010 Telstra Australian Short Course | 14-Jul-10 | [9] |
| Short | 100m Breaststroke | 01:48.9 | 2011 Australian Short Course Championships | 3-Jul-11 | [9] |
| Short | 50m Freestyle | 53.46 | 2010 Telstra Australian Short Course | 14-Jul-10 | [9] |
| Short | 150m Medley | 03:06.4 | 2011 Australian Short Course Championships | 3-Jul-11 | [9] |
References
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Wikinews has related news: 2012 Australian Paralympic swim team announced |
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 "Ahmed Kelly". APC Corporate. Retrieved 2012-12-07.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Humphris, Kate (2009-05-14). "Swimming through the rough -". ABC Darwin — Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 "A victory inspired by his twin sisters' smiles". Sydney Morning Herald. 2011-04-06. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Batt-man on the small screen". Camden Haven Courier. 2012-07-18. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 McArthur, Grant (22 March 2012). "Ahmed Kelly makes his mark against all odds". Melbourne, Victoria: Herald Sun. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
- ↑ "Victorian Athletes Selected for London Olympics and Paralympics". VicSport. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ↑ "Paralympic swim team revealed". Australian Paralympic Committee. 2012-07-10. Retrieved 2012-07-10.
- ↑ "Cowdrey Leads Paralympic Swin Team". ABC. July 10, 2012.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 9.8 9.9 "Ahmed Kelly personal bests". Swimming Western Australia. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ↑ "Men's 50m Breaststroke - SB3". London 2012.