Tully Kearney will defend her Paralympic swimming title in Paris next week knowing that she has been tipped to win another gold medal. But, in reality, for the 27-year-old Aldridge swimmer, after suffering a head injury in 2023 which forced her to withdraw from the world championships, it has meant an 18-month battle just to make it to the start line in Paris.
A head injury is bad enough for any athlete. For someone who has cerebral palsy, the effect was devastating. It did not just knock her back, it meant she had lost her "happy place" as she could not swim, had to give up her Masters degree at Manchester Metropolitan University - and she even lost her memory for three months.
"It felt like I lost part of myself," she told BBC Radio WM.
"I was involved in an incident and had a head injury which resulted in complex concussion syndrome."
It has taken the help, love and support of her family, led by her mother Amanda Kearney, and the specialist team at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Selly Oak to get Tully back on course.
"All I can say is that the specialist brain trauma team at the QE have been fantastic," she said. "I didn't realise head injuries could be so serious and that a seemingly trivial injury can lead to long-lasting symptoms.
"But, for someone who already has a pre-existing brain injury, I am more at risk because of that, the more symptoms I got.
"I got vertigo and I couldn't train. My happy place has always been the pool. But suddenly it wasn't my happy place any more. it was quite miserable in fact, to push through all that.
"It impacted on my mental health and it has been hard for me to get that enjoyment back. I'm hoping that Paris will really help get back my love for swimming."
This is the third Paralympic Games Kearney, who trains at Loughborough University, has been selected for. In Rio, in 2016, she was forced to withdraw shortly before the games with the muscle condition dystonia, external, as well as an ongoing shoulder injury.
"Tully was born with very mild cerebral palsy," Amanda said. "It was when she was 13 she started to deteriorate.
"At a time when her friends were becoming more independent, she became a full- time wheelchair user.
"That was hard for her to deal with. Then when she had to withdraw from the Rio Games with dystonia, that had a huge effect on her mental health."
Then came Tokyo in 2021 - a year later than scheduled because of the Covid pandemic and still behind closed doors.
"It was the first time I'd not been there to support her and it felt really strange. We had to go to the Channel 4 studio in Leeds and watched it live, which was really nerve-wracking, " Amanda said.
"It will be nice to be there this time. She won't see me but she'll know I'm there. I start off quite quiet but as the races go on I get more and more excited. And we will all be there under a flag printed with 'TEAM TULLY' on it.
"I'm so looking forward to experiencing it all with a crowd this time," she added.
And why would she not be? As well as defending the S5 100m freestyle title, Tully will also compete in the S5 200m freestyle and the S5 50m backstroke. She is ranked number one in all three. Now is her moment to put "a difficult 18 months" behind her.
Tully Kearney’s Paris Comeback
Tully Kearney will defend her Paralympic swimming title less than two years after briefly losing all memories of that success. Kearney, a ten-time world champion, won S5 100m freestyle gold and 200m silver but suffered a head injury last year that left her in an 18-month battle to make the start line in Paris.
She had to give up her Masters degree and lost all motivation for training, the specialist team at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital key in helping the 27-year-old get back on the blocks.
"After the accident I had a really complex concussion syndrome," said Kearney.
"I hadn't realised just how serious it was, it seemed quite trivial but I'm more at risk because of my pre-existing brain injury.
"Because of vertigo I also couldn't train and that's what hit me hardest - the pool was always happy place and that really impacted my mental health too.
"I had to push through it and learn how to get that enjoyment back in training and competing."
Reclassification Challenge and Paralympic Resilience
Kearney's road to Paris was made more difficult when she was reclassified by World Para Swimming earlier this year, placing her in an event featuring less impaired athletes than those she has been racing against previously. She was humiliated and insulted by the process, which she claimed almost broke her spirit, her appeal successful in remaining in the S5 category for athletes with cerebral palsy.
Stories of Paralympic resilience is the norm here in Paris, but Kearney’s is worth telling – eight years ago she was told never to swim again while a shoulder injury meant she couldn't make her debut in Rio, despite being selected.
"There are many times that I've thought my dream was over that I'd never get to the Paralympics," she said.
"To finally win that gold medal in Tokyo was the realisation of so many hours of hard work and the support of all my friends and family."
A Triumphant Return
Kearney's journey to Paris is a testament to her resilience and determination. It showcases the power of human spirit in overcoming adversity, particularly within the context of Paralympic sports. Despite facing an 18-month battle to recover from her head injury and the emotional toll it took on her, she has remained committed to her goals and is now poised to defend her Paralympic title in Paris. As she takes to the pool in Paris, Tully Kearney embodies the spirit of the Paralympic Games. She demonstrates that with courage and determination, even the most significant challenges can be overcome. Kearney's story is an inspiration to athletes and individuals alike, showcasing the indomitable human spirit and the power of perseverance. It serves as a reminder that the pursuit of dreams can be a challenging yet ultimately rewarding journey, and that even after the darkest of times, it is possible to rise above adversity and emerge stronger than ever before.
