Swim champion Danii on course for Deaflympics

Fri 12th May 2017

The Realising Dreams Foundation has stepped in with an award of £800 to another team GB deaf swimmer – Danielle Joyce – to allow her to compete at this year’s Deaflympics.

Danielle (20) applied after hearing of our award to Shiona McClafferty. And while the foundation wants to attract a variety of talents, it was impossible to ignore Danielle’s medal and world record winning abilities as well as her voluntary work with disability sport.

Despite holding nine current world records, winning gold at the Deaf World Championships in Texas, double gold at the European Championships in Russia and a long list of other awards for her work in sports disability, Danielle was still battling to raise the funding needed to compete. Danielle currently combines her swim training with her BSc in Sports & Excercise at the University of Stirling.

Realising Dreams Foundation chairman Ron Burges explained:“Danielle has an impressive swimming track record which has helped to build her quite a public profile. But still she has struggled to raise the funds to continue competing for her country.

“We are impressed with what she has achieved within swimming, alongside charities and through her studies at university. It’s a privilege to play a small part in helping Danielle achieve this latest dream to compete in Turkey at this summer’s Deaflympics. It will be an experience that she will carry forward throughout her life.”

Danielle added: “Over the last few years, I have been fortunate enough to achieve great things thanks to family and friends as well as donations from organisations like Scottish Swimming, Scottish Disability Sport and my local council. But because it’s not a fully funded sport, continuing to compete at major swimming events creates a huge financial burden.

“GB deaf swimmers compete against fully funded countries from Eastern Europe. I’m desperate to compete at the Deaflympics and dream of going on to the European championships in Poland next year. This award will take me a huge step closer to achieving my dreams of winning a Deaflympic medal!”

Great Britain’s Deaf Swimming coach, Sam Chamberlain concluded; “Danielle is a key part of our GBdeaflympics team for Turkey and has the potential to achieve medals in her individual events as well as relay events. It’s going to be an exciting event for all of us.”

See the full GB Deaf swimming team including Danii and Shiona and their profiles at GB Deaf Swimming

Danielle aims for swimming medals at the 2017 Deaflympics in Turkey.