Helena Brunner

Helena Brunner
Personal information
Full name Helena Martha Brunner
Nationality  Australia
Born 1957/1958
Medal record
Swimming
Paralympic Games
1984 New York/Stoke Mandeville Women's 100 m Backstroke A4
1984 New York/Stoke Mandeville Women's 100 m Freestyle A4
1984 New York/Stoke Mandeville Women's 400 m Freestyle A4
1984 New York/Stoke Mandeville Women's 4x100 m Freestyle Relay A1–A9
1984 New York/Stoke Mandeville Women's 4x100 m Medley Relay A1–A9
1984 New York/Stoke Mandeville Women's 200 m Individual Medley A4
1984 New York/Stoke Mandeville Women's 100 m Breaststroke A4

Helena Martha Brunner, OAM,[1] (born 1957/1958) is an Australian swimmer, who won seven medals at the 1984 New York/Stoke Mandeville Games.

Personal

Brunner attended Blacktown Girls High School.[2] As a teenager, Brunner represented her state of New South Wales in national able-bodied swimming competitions, but she quit swimming at the age of seventeen; she was then briefly interested in water polo.[3] After finishing school, she attended Goulburn College of Advanced Education.[3]

In 1978 at the age of 20, she had a severe motorcycle accident while delivering mail for Australia Post; as a result, her right leg was amputated below the knee two years later. During her rehabilitation, she met someone who suggested that she take up swimming again.[3]

Eighteen months after the 1984 Paralympics, she had a daughter. She also worked as a teacher for 16 years.[2][3]

Swimming career

At the 1984 New York/Stoke Mandeville Paralympics, Brunner won five gold medals in the Women's 100 m Backstroke A4, Women's 100 m Freestyle A4, Women's 400 m Freestyle A4, Women's 4x100 m Freestyle Relay A1–A9, and Women's 4x100 m Individual Medley Relay A1–A9 events, a silver medal in the Women's 200 m Individual Medley A4 event, and a bronze medal in the Women's 100 m Breaststroke A4 event.[3][4][5] She broke five world records at the 1984 games and fourteen throughout her career. Some of them still stand; however, the classification system for swimming has since been changed.[3]

Recognition

In 1985, Brunner received a Medal of the Order of Australia "in recognition of service to the sport of swimming".[1] She presented the floral tributes to medallists in the amputee swimming events at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 "Brunner, Helena Martha, OAM". It's an Honour. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  2. 1 2 "Helena Brunner Facebook profile" (requires Facebook login). Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Helena to present floral tributes". Peninsula News. 24 October 2000. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  4. ↑ "Helena Brunner Results". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  5. ↑ "Australian gold medals at the 1984 Summer Paralympics". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 10 February 2012.


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