Suffolk doesn't have many world champions but one who has escaped the attention of the public is Tom Cole. He's only been swimming for six years but has already become the youngest member of the Great Britain Downs Swimming Team, along with a handful of gold and silver medals, and even a world record! | "They get about instead of having to rely on somebody pushing or lifting them...they can go their own way." | | Bobbie Wilson, swimming coach |
He started swimming through tragedy when his best friend drowned. Because at this time, Tom was unable to speak, his mum Barbara thought that learning to swim was literally a matter of life and death. They went along to the Suffolk Youth Games, and Barbara feared that Tom would continue his shyness - as he had never got involved in anything before at school or college. To her surprise, being in the water made her son happy and much more confident, and he hasn't looked back since. There are a huge number of benefits to swimming, some especially valuable to people with Downs Syndrome. Sufferers tend to put on weight as they reach their teenage years and swimming is perfect for keeping fit and healthy. Swimming can also offer less able-bodied competitors to gain independence that they otherwise could not experience. Bobbie Wilson was the winner of the contribution to Disabled Sport Award at the Suffolk Sport Awards, and says that all children are the same, able-bodied or disabled. Tom's mum says that Tom is now far more confident, he thinks about his health, and is proud of his body! But there remains one more challenge for the young World Champion - he lost his 1500m world record at the World Championships in Limerick in 2005, and he'll be going all out to get this back in the future! | 
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