By Josh Squire
“The feeling of being a champion stays with you, motivating you to keep pushing the limits.”
Words of wisdom, delivered by a boy whose life has just taken a huge turn before his 18th birthday. No longer just a Year 11 student from Queensland, Callum Simpson is now a two-time Paralympic champion, and one of Australia’s most successful athletes at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Awards have come thick and fast since, and that haul includes the recognition as Commonwealth Games Australia’s Emerging Athlete of the Month for August.
Already with a gold medal under his belt, the 17-year-old locked in a finals swim in his favoured 100m freestyle event as the fastest qualifier. Going up against athletes more than a decade older than him, Simpson’s closest competitor on paper was Noah Jaffe from the United States, another youngster at just 21 years old. A gold medal was on offer, but only one of them knew what standing on the top step of the podium felt like.
Simpson started his campaign a few days earlier with a gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley relay – 34 points. The S8-classified swimmer shared his first podium with some stars of para-swimming, including Birmingham 2022 medallists Emily Beecroft (silver) and Keira Stephens (bronze) and Gold Coast 2018 gold medallist Jesse Aungles.
He followed that up with a strong performance in the S8 400m freestyle, finishing sixth, but it was merely a precursor to his main event. The 100m freestyle was his best chance for an individual medal, and his form leading in was strong.
Turning at the halfway point in first place, Simpson finished strong to hit the wall in 58.23. Big screens in the Paris La Défense Arena showed the Aussie had touched just two-hundredths of a second in front of his American competitor Jaffe, and he couldn’t contain his emotions when he found out he’d won.
“Representing my country and standing on that podium was a moment I’ll never forget, it felt like a dream come true,” he said.
“Beyond the personal achievement, it’s also about being part of something bigger, inspiring others, and proving that no matter the obstacles, greatness is possible.”
Closing out the Games with a silver medal in the final event on the swimming program, the mixed 4 x 100m freestyle relay – 34 points, Simpson joined Commonwealth Games gold medallists Tim Hodge and Lauren Parker, as well as Alexa Leary, to finish the Paris Paralympics with two golds and a silver.
Born with the genetic disorder microdeletion syndrome, which causes his left and right side not to work in unison, Simpson noted that a strong support system is required to manage day-to-day challenges, while maintaining a positive mindset is also key.
“Instead of seeing it as a limitation, I view it as my superpower that has shaped my resilience and determination as an athlete. It drives me to work harder and overcome obstacles, not just in sports but in life overall.”
The son of a former English rugby sevens player, Callum isn’t the only star child of the family. While he was off in Paris doing his thing in the pool, his brother Henry was on the Gold Coast at the Life Saving World Championships, winning a swathe of medals in the youth category. In typical younger brother fashion, Callum is inspired by the efforts of his older brother.
“Growing up, I always looked up to him and just wanted to be ‘normal’ like him and try and keep up with him. He set a great example for me, showing me how to navigate challenges and persevere,” he said.
“Having him by my side has made a huge difference in my journey, and I’m incredibly grateful for everything he’s done for me.”
Gratitude for the people around him shines through in Simpson’s young personality. Apart from mentioning his over-achieving family who are always by his side, he had plenty of praise for the wider support network that he has worked with on his way to becoming a Paralympic champion.
As for the Emerging Athlete of the Month recognition, Simpson says that it’s an honour that is “both humbling and motivating”.
“I feel incredibly grateful for the support from my family, friends, coaches, every single person in my support team, and everyone who has been a part of my journey.”
“To every single person who has supported and cheered me on my journey. Thank you. We did it together.”
The Commonwealth Games serves as a platform for developing the future stars of Australian sport and the Emerging Athlete of the Year forms part of a refreshed Awards and Honours program developed by the CGA Heritage and Awards Committee.
The CGA Emerging Athlete of the Year Award celebrates the next generation of Australian sport stars and those that may make an impact for Australia at major sport events in the future.
Over the course of 2024, an athlete will be recognised each month as the Emerging Athlete of the Month and will receive a $500 contribution towards their training and competition expenses.
Three finalists from the monthly winners will then split a $7000 cash prize, with the winner receiving $5000 and the two runners-up $1000 respectively.
