LETTENBERGER Ahalya

Classification
S7, SB6, SM7 (IPC, 12 Feb 2021)

Type of Impairment
Impaired range of motion (Athlete, 21 Jan 2016)

Origin of Impairment
Congenital (Athlete, 21 Jan 2016)

Impairment Details
She was born with arthrogryposis and bilateral hip dysplasia, which affects the range in movement of her lower limbs. "My hips are dislocated. My knees only bend to 90 degrees and my ankles don't move at all. When I started swimming competitively I enjoyed it, but I was finishing last in every race. I cannot use my legs in the water, but I was competing against other [able-bodied] kids who could. Eventually I found out about Para swimming. I went to my first Para meet in 2013 and loved it. I can compete like I have always wanted to, on a level playing field so to speak." (abc13.com, 14 Sep 2019; news.rice.edu, 03 Sep 2019; Athlete, 21 Jan 2016, 24 Nov 2014; teamusa.org, 13 May 2015)

General
GOOD TIMES
She says that since getting involved in Para swimming in 2012 she has been appreciative of the sport's sense of community. "We've become a big community, because we've all gone through different experiences and overcome certain obstacles, so it brings us all together. This doesn't apply to just the US. The close family feel also applies to international meets. You see different things across the deck that you won't see any other meet. You'll see something or someone that will inspire and motivate you in every corner of the pool deck. Every swimmer, parent, and fan are more empathetic and more supportive of each other. In some of the less qualified meets, you'll see people swimming for the first time, and everyone will be cheering them on. Everyone is definitely competitive, but there is still that tight-knit community feel." (swimmingworldmagazine.com, 29 Jun 2019; Athlete, 21 Jan 2016)