NIETZEL Makayla

United States of America

Date of Birth: 8 May 2003

Age: 18

Gender: Female

Sport Class: S13

Place of residence : CRYSTAL LAKE, IL

Residence Country:

United States of America

Events and Medals
Records
Schedule
Bio
General Interest
Milestones

Events and Medals

Discipline	Event	Rank	Medal
Swimming	Women's 400m Freestyle - S13	7
	Women's 100m Butterfly - S13	7

Schedule

Start Time	Location	Event	Status
	Tokyo Aquatics Centre	Women's 100m Butterfly - S13 Heat 3	Finished
	Tokyo Aquatics Centre	Women's 100m Butterfly - S13 Final	Finished
	Tokyo Aquatics Centre	Women's 400m Freestyle - S13 Heat 2	Finished
	Tokyo Aquatics Centre	Women's 400m Freestyle - S13 Final	Finished

Biographical Information

Highlights

Occupation:

Languages spoken:

Cats Aquatic Team [Libertyville, IL, USA]

Vlad Pyshnenko [club], RUS

She began swimming lessons as a toddler, and started swimming competitively at age 11. She received her international Para swimming classification in 2018. (seattletimes.com, 04 Nov 2017; nwherald.com, 27 Jun 2018 )

Her mother initially wanted her to learn to swim for water safety reasons. In 2017, after competing at the Fred Lamback Disability Meet in Augusta, GA, United States of America, and the Can Am Para Swimming Championships in Windsor, ON, Canada, she was scouted by national coach Queenie Nichols and invited to join the national training programme. (seattletimes.com, 04 Nov 2017; nwherald.com, 27 Jun 2018 )

To compete at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. (seattletimes.com, 04 Nov 2017)

Philosophy:

"The whole reason I'm doing this [Para swimming] is because I want people with disabilities to know they can accomplish something despite what they have." (seattletimes.com, 04 Nov 2017)

General Interest

Classification
S13, SB13, SM13 (IPC, 05 Aug 2021)

Type of Impairment
Vision impairment (seattletimes.com, 04 Nov 2017)

Origin of Impairment
Congenital (seattletimes.com, 04 Nov 2017)

Impairment Details
She was born with albinism and is legally blind. She has also been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. (seattletimes.com, 04 Nov 2017)

General
MOTIVATION
At her first Para swimming meet, the 2017 Fred Lamback Disability Meet in Augusta, GA, United States of America, she was approached by a young girl who wanted her autograph. "During that meet after talking to Queenie [Nicholls, US coach], a young girl with albinism walked up to me along with her mum and another young girl. This sweet girl asked me, 'Can I have your autograph? I want it for when you become a famous Paralympian someday.' Since that day, that has been my motivation. Thanks to that one young voice, my passion for swimming grew beyond my expectations. I will never forget that kind request from another individual with albinism and it will forever be my motivation and inspiration." (Instagram profile, 02 Aug 2021)

DEPTH PERCEPTION
Her visual impairment causes problems with depth perception, which can fluctuate depending on the lighting conditions of pools and aquatic centres. "I have good peripheral [vision]. I can see somewhat in the lanes next to me when I go to breathe. In a darker pool or a super-bright pool, I can't see as well. If it's moderate lighting, I can see pretty decent." (nwherald.com, 27 Jun 2018)

STUDY PLANS
In 2021 she is due to begin studying psychology and meteorology at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN, United States of America . (Facebook profile, 02 Aug 2021; shawlocal.com, 31 Jul 2021; nwherald.com, 27 Jun 2018)

Social Media

Legend

:: Gold Medal Event
:: Silver Medal Event
:: Bronze Medal Event

Timing and scoring provided by OMEGA. Results powered by Atos